Harry Potter, the Deathly Hallows, and What Might
by gotimtim
Summary: Harry Potter, the Deathly Hallows and the Story of What Might Have Been- AU- Taking one key moment in the story and changing it a bit- what happens from there? Do things end the same way? How does it change the story? Reviews Welcomed. Rated T for content and themes. Thanks, and enjoy! On hiatus until further notice. Scheduled next to be finished after my current project.
1. A Wedding Surprise

**Harry Potter, the Deathly Hallows and the Story of What Might Have Been**

**Gotimtim**

**Disclaimer-** No I don't own Harry Potter or the copyright to any of those works. I do use some of Rowling's previously published work here in this story- specifically some lines from HP and the Deathly Hallows. This is done to help set the tone for the story and is essential to the story being told. Please note no disrespect or infringement on the works of J.K. Rowling should be taken or inferred.

**A/N- READ THIS FIRST! - **_This is my attempt at an Alternate Universe/Infinities concept story. I had a question; one that gives many authors that first spark to write a story- What if? _

_First to define my concept (anyone who has read any of the Star Wars Infinities books will be familiar with this): What if you take a key moment from the story and change it? What if Harry had shaken Malfoy's hand in The Sorcerer's Stone? What if Harry had let Ginny lie in the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets? How would that have changed the stories that we know and love today? _

_My story here follows that concept- It starts with the Wedding Chapter of DH and goes on from there. As a result, it will not be DH and may not be entirely Epilogue compliant. However, it is a story I wanted to tell, and one that has occupied my thoughts since I first wrote The End of Innocence. **Note that this story is entirely independent of the previous two- It should stand on its own**_

_I ask you that if you read this story, you do so with an open mind, and judge it for what it is. A different take on an already existing book. All of the events from the first six books are considered to have occurred. _

_There will be some writing that will be from Ginny's POV, and not just Harry's alone._

_Any mistakes in canon, descriptions, or previous story lines are just that- mistakes of mine where I did not pay enough attention to detail. _

_I would of course be happy to hear your thoughts and feelings on this idea, and this story. Therefore, with that, I bid you good fun and good reading! Gotimtim_

**Chapter 1**

**A Wedding Surprise**

_Ginny_ was looking out the window of her mother's room and down onto the lawn. She could not help but smile at the sight of Harry. Fred and George had "borrowed" a couple hairs from some poor muggle boy down in the village of Ottery St. Catchpole using a summoning charm. Now having been rechristened as "Cousin Barney," Harry looked completely different and more than a little uncomfortable as an exact copy of that boy. All thanks to those few hairs and some Polyjuice Potion.

Right now he, Ron, Fred, and George were busy helping wedding guests to their seats. Ginny sighed inwardly; today was the day. Bill and Fleur would be married and she would have a new sister. Well at least a sister-in-law anyway. She had always wanted a sister but Fleur would not have been her first choice. Hermione was much more preferable. Too bad Ron did not seem to agree though. Maybe someday her goofy brother would come around.

Now, Ginny and Gabrielle DeLacour were up in her mother's room getting the final additions done on their outfits for the wedding. As bridesmaids they had to be perfect. Ginny looked away from the window and Harry on the other side of it to look at herself. She could not help but smile. She was sure Harry would like the dress. Sure that he would and that Auntie Muriel would not. Oh well, it wasn't Auntie Muriel's wedding so who cared what she thought anyway?

As Ginny took a seat on the bench of her mother's old, beat up dressing table, she let her mind drift back to yesterday and those few stolen moments with Harry. She felt the tightening of the pit of her stomach when she thought about that kiss that she and Harry had shared. It was so much more passionate than any that they had shared before. She could feel the emotion behind it and knew that Harry did as well. He had to have. His arms had been around her and he certainly didn't make any efforts to stop it. Quite the opposite in fact. And then Ron had to come bursting in and break that beautiful moment.

In that moment, she could have cursed her brother. She was so angry with him, so hurt that he had to come and ruin that blessedly perfect moment. Maybe at some point during the wedding, if the situation played out just right, maybe she could corner Harry and get one last kiss from him. One last kiss to take with him when he, Ron, and Hermione left to go after You-know-who.

Ginny inwardly cringed at the thought of them finding him. She didn't like the way that Hermione looked at Ron and Harry now. Ever since Dumbledore had died, the way she looked at them had changed. Not just Hermione either, Ron and Harry too seemed to be changed by that event. Harry most of all.

She had once tried to get Hermione to open up about it. Being closer to Hermione than to either Harry or Ron, she figured that her best chance to find out about what was going on and what it was they planned to do would come from her. However, Hermione would only smile at Ginny and tell her it really was better that she didn't know. Better for who, Ginny wondered, was it better for her or for them?

Harry had let her know right after the funeral that he would not be coming back to Hogwarts. He broke off his relationship with her and told her it was for her own good. That he could not stand it if You-know-who took her and tried to use her, Ginny, against him. He had said it was for her own protection.

For her part, Ginny understood. She knew that eventually Harry would break things off with her. What she didn't know then, what she could not know or even had any way of knowing was how much he breaking things off with her would hurt.

She did not let Harry see her cry. She was not happy with him for making this decision but she knew him well enough to know that he would not change his mind. So when the train from Hogwarts had dropped them off at King's Cross Station and he went home to spend his last remaining days with those wretched Dursleys, she fell into the car from the Ministry and the tears began. Breaking up with a boy had never hurt like this. Her mother had held her and even Ron, of all people Ron, had been gentle and kind to her. Her father looked at her sadly and could only smile and tell her that eventually things would get better.

Ginny looked out the window again to see that Harry, or Cousin Barney as he would be called for the wedding, was currently talking to Ron about something. He was smiling. They seemed to be sharing some kind of joke.

Seeing the two of them like that, talking and acting for the moment in such a carefree manner put a funny feeling in her stomach. Ginny didn't know what it was or what might be causing it, only that it sat there and wouldn't go away. As her mother and Madame DeLacour began working on Ginny's hair and putting the final touches on it, she let her thoughts wander towards Harry again.

That funny feeling in her stomach wouldn't go away. She had this strange notion that she wasn't going to be seeing Harry again. Not for a very long time anyway. This was not a thought that made her happy. She decided something in that moment. Whatever may happen at this wedding tonight, she Ginny would not let Harry out of her sight any longer than absolutely necessary.

She knew that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were going to leave to go do whatever it was that they were going to do after the wedding. Her gut told her it would be very soon after the wedding, maybe even tonight. Ginny wasn't about to let Harry go off without her. She decided that in that minute, whatever it took, that she would be going with him and to Hell with what anyone else thought or felt about it. Having waited five, almost six years for Harry to notice her, she wasn't going to let him go just as easy as that. Not if she had anything to say about it.

Then it was time. Ginny and Gabrielle followed their mothers out of the room and down the stairs to join the wedding procession.

"Oh Maman!" Fleur cried, "To theenk zat in just a few minutes, I weel be married!"

Ginny watched thoughtfully as the two exchanged excited hugs. Then Fleur turned towards her sister and smiled down at her, "And zen it weel be your turn! Leetle Gabrielle, you are growing up way too fast!"

"Maybe eet can even be 'Arry Potter I marry!" Gabrielle sighed with a smile.

Ginny wanted to smack her, but didn't. Instead she shared a look with her mother who smiled at her. She noticed that her mother had tears in her eyes.

She suspects they're up to something as much as I do, Ginny thought.

She didn't get a chance to ask her mother what it was that she was thinking about. The signal in the music was given and it was time for them to take their walk down the isle. Ginny kept her head held up high and didn't let her thoughts or feelings reflect on her face. This was her big brother's day. It wasn't going to be ruined by her.

Ginny's stomach did a little flip when she saw Harry. She did her best to hide a blush when she saw his eyes widen ever so slightly at the sight of her. She kept her eyes forward and resolved not to say anything or worry about anything for the time being. She would let the memory of the pleased and happily surprised look on Harry's face at seeing her carry her through the next few hours. She took her place in front of the alter where the ceremony would take place.

The little wizard, the same one who presided over the burial of Professor Dumbledore Ginny sadly noted, stood up and announced:

"_We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls..."_ The little wizard began. The wizard went on but Ginny was distracted for a moment when she heard Auntie Muriel say rather loudly,

"_Yes, my tiara sets off the whole thing nicely, but I must say, Ginevra's dress is far too low cut."_

Ginny grinned widely and looked around at Harry, winked at him, and then turned to face the little old wizard as he went on with the wedding vows. She couldn't help but let her mind go back to the previous spring, when she and Harry had taken long walks alone around the school grounds. Finding the lonely, secluded places where they could just enjoy being with one another.

It was like another time, maybe even like living someone else's life. Ginny treasured those moments more than she could ever put into words. It was the time when her dreams of being with Harry really did come true.

She wondered if Harry ever thought of those days as much as she did. She yearned to know if they meant as much to him as they did to her. She felt a lump form in her throat, and could feel the tears forming in her eyes.

"_...do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle..." _

At least being here at the wedding, people would think the tears she had would be tears for her brother and the occasion. No one would need to know that she had tears in her eyes for an entirely different reason. Ginny swallowed hard and stifled a grin when she heard the sounds of Hagrid trumpeting from the back, holding onto one of his huge handkerchiefs...

"_...then I declare you bonded for life."_

Ginny watched as the little white haired wizard waved his wand high over the heads of her brother and his bride. A shower of silvery stars fell upon them and spiraled around their figures. Applause broke out through the marquee. Bill and Fleur were married.

At an announcement from the little wizard, everyone stood up. The chairs were moved to the sides of the marquee, and a golden dance floor formed in the middle of the area. The band took up their positions around a podium and began to play.

Ginny, seeing people coming to gather around and congratulate the new couple quickly got in line. She hugged her brother and Fleur, congratulated them, and then moved away.

Standing off to one side a little bit, she watched as Harry and Ron moved off towards a table way at the back of the marquee. Grabbing a glass of pumpkin juice, Ginny decided to ask Harry for a dance. Ron couldn't get mad at her for wanting to dance with Harry at a wedding and even he wasn't crass enough to cause a scene in front of everyone. Ginny could have just one song alone with him. For just one song she could hold him close and maybe make him understand how much she was feeling. Make him know how much she needed him.

Then her dad stepped in front of her, "Ginny, can I have this dance?"

Ginny smiled at her dad. He had always been so kind and understanding. She could dance with her dad; there would still be time to dance with Harry.

"Sure dad," Ginny smiled happily and let him lead her out onto the dance floor.

They began to dance around when her dad started speaking to her.

"I know this summer was difficult for you,"

"What do you mean, dad?"

"Ginny, your mother and I, we're not blind. We know how much it hurt when Harry..."

"Dad please, don't. Not here," Ginny said tearfully.

"I'm sorry," her dad said, "What I was trying to tell you is that I was impressed with how well you handled yourself. You know, what with what happened to Mad-eye, and to George. You were wonderful and that really helped your mother a lot."

"Thanks, dad," Ginny said not sure where he was going with all of this.

"You also handled Harry being here well too."

Ginny felt the tears coming to her eyes and looked away.

Her dad had that look in his eyes like he wanted to say more but didn't get the chance. The song ended and Ginny was asked to dance by Bill.

"Hello there, little sister," Bill smiled down at her.

"Alright, Bill?" Ginny asked him.

"Never better," Bill smiled back happily.

"I really am glad for you and Fleur. I can tell she really loves you,"

"Thank you, what about you?" Bill asked glancing side long at their newest "cousin" who was at the moment talking to an old man whom Ginny vaguely recognized.

"I don't know what you mean..."

"Ginny, I remember those letters you used to write me. Remember them? The ones from when you first started going to Hogwarts?"

"What about them?"

"You finally got what you wanted," Bill whispered quietly in her ear, "What are you going to do about it?"

Ginny looked at her brother's eyes and then down at her shoes.

"I don't know that there is anything I can do about it," she said bitterly.

"Why not?" Bill prodded her.

"Because they're not going back to school..."

"That doesn't mean that afterwards, when it's all over..."

"Do you really think that there is going to be an afterwards?" Ginny asked her brother hopefully, "I don't think _he_ does,"

"That's because he's in the middle of it, and right now I don't think he can see much more than the task he has ahead of him."

"What kind of task?" Ginny wanted to know, suddenly curious.

Bill looked away for a moment,

"Bill..." Ginny began,

"I'm sorry; I really don't know much about it. I only heard them talking a bit about leaving..."

"Harry's going to hunt down You-know-who. Ron and Hermione are going with him." Ginny said. She remembered Harry all but admitting this just yesterday, in her room, right before they kissed...

"He's what?" Bill asked, stunned.

At that moment though the music ended. Bill and Ginny's conversation was interrupted by Fleur's mother who came over and wanted a dance with Bill. Not feeling like she could say no, Ginny let her brother go dance with his new Mother-in-law. She wanted to get that dance with Harry. She was _going_ to get that dance with Harry.

Remembering her earlier decision that Harry wasn't going to just go away and leave her, Ginny started making her way over to where he was sitting. Auntie Muriel was now sitting there next to "Cousin Barney" and that old man. It was with a sudden realization that Ginny made the connection- she did know him. At least his picture anyway. That was old Elphias Doge!

He'd written that obituary in the Daily Prophet about Professor Dumbledore. That must have been why Harry was sitting next to him, Ginny knew that Harry took the death of Professor Dumbledore really hard.

Ginny stepped outside the walls of the marquee and quickly and quietly moved around so she could enter by where Harry was sitting. Judging by the look of shock and horror on his face, the conversation he was witnessing was not a pleasant one, Ginny thought. She could just hear Auntie Muriel making a comment that had both of the men listening to her looking very unhappy;

"_...oh, we all know you worshipped Dumbledore; I daresay you'll still think he was a saint even if it does turn out that he did away with his squib sister!"_

"_Muriel!" _Old Mr. Doge exclaimed.

Ginny looked at Harry who looked like he'd just received the shock of his life. Ginny's heart went out to him. What her Great Aunt was saying couldn't have been easy for him to hear. And what was this about Professor Dumbledore? He had a squib sister? And just what did Auntie Muriel mean when she said he did away with her?

"_..did nobody ever see her, Elphias? Why did half of us never even know she existed, until they carried the coffin out of the house and held a funeral for her? Where was saintly Albus while Ariana was locked in the cellar? Off being brilliant at Hogwarts, and never mind what was going on in his own house!" _Auntie Muriel went on. Then Ginny heard Harry say in a shaken voice,_ "What d'you mean, locked in the cellar? What is this?"_

Ginny was angry with her Aunt now. Didn't she know the effect of what she was saying was having on them? On Harry? Didn't she see the way they were reacting to her words? Ginny had a good mind to hex her aunt right there except that she knew that her mother would give her bloody hell over it.

Ginny sat there listening as Auntie Muriel went on to talk about a funeral, a fight Professor Dumbledore had with his brother, she really was not painting a nice picture of her old school Headmaster. She watched Harry's face as he was listening to all of this and knew he was taken by surprise with those statements as much as she was.

Wanting nothing more than to run forward and to put her arms around him, Ginny sat there and continued to listen. It would do no one any good if she suddenly appeared to be fawning over some distant cousin. The very idea of it brought an unbidden smile to her lips.

When they started talking about Rita Skeeter, Ginny listened some more;

"_...oh there are ways of bringing back memories, and I'm sure Rita Skeeter knows them all," _Auntie Muriel said. _"But even if Bathilda's completely cuckoo, I'm sure she'd still have old photographs, maybe even letters. She knew the Dumbledores for years...Well worth the trip to Godric's Hollow."_

Ginny watched as Harry choked upon hearing this pronouncement. Old Doge reached over and pounded him on the back. Harry asked about Bathilda Bagshot living in Godric's Hollow.

"_Oh yes, she's been there forever! The Dumbledores moved there after Percival was imprisoned, and she was their neighbor."_

Watching Harry closely, Ginny noted how affected he was by hearing this news. Why shouldn't he be affected? She thought, He's from Godric's Hollow too. It doesn't look like anyone ever mentioned any of this stuff to him.

Just as Ginny was preparing to move in and rescue Harry from the scene unfolding around him, Hermione suddenly appeared. She was talking about how she just couldn't dance any more. She and Harry were just beginning to have a bit of a conversation when something large, shining and silvery came falling through the canopy and landed on the dance floor.

Ginny recognized the slow, deep baritone voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt coming from the Patronus. It was making an announcement. One that sent a sudden chill of fear running down Ginny's spine:

"_The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

Ginny grabbed her wand from where it was hidden in her dress just as she watched Harry and Hermione jump up and grabbing theirs. She followed them headlong into the now panicking crowd.

All over the place people were running and many were disapparating. That meant that the Ministry enchantments must have been broken.

Ginny heard Hermione cry out; "_Ron! Ron, where are you?"_

The two pushed their way through the now chaotic dance floor, Ginny hot on their heels. She listened to them calling for Ron and pushed people out of her way as she tried to catch up to them. She was getting a dreadful feeling in her stomach, like a steel knot that refused to unwind, as Harry and Hermione were pulling away from her.

Hermione was really close to sobbing now. Spells, curses and jinxes were flying everywhere. Ginny had to duck and weave around them as well as the crowd she was desperately trying to break through.

Finally, Ginny had her chance. She saw Ron approaching Harry and Hermione, moving quickly. Quickening her own pace, Ginny caught up to them and grabbed hold of Harry tightly around his neck and shoulders just as Ron caught hold of Hermione's free arm. She felt a sudden turning and a very unpleasant squeezing sensation.

She knew they were moving away from the wedding. They were moving through space and time but to where she didn't know. Then, as suddenly as the sensation had begun, it stopped. They were standing in the middle of a street full of a lot of people. People who were beginning to turn and stare at them. They were muggles.

"_Where are we?"_ Ginny heard Ron say.

But before anyone could answer him, Harry had roughly caught hold of Ginny's wrists as he disentangled himself from her grip. Ginny looked up at Harry only to see first anger, then surprise, then shock, then anger again race across his features.

"Ginny?" Harry exclaimed. He was at a sudden loss for words.

Ron and Hermione turned to follow Harry's gaze. Ginny looked back at them, defiance in her eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out. She'd done it. She had managed to not let Harry leave her again. She wouldn't be sorry for doing it either. She'd made up her mind and this was just the way things were going to be. She looked Harry in the eye and smiled,

"Surprise," Ginny said. It was all she could think of in that moment to say.


	2. Realizations

**Chapter 2**

_Harry _couldn't believe his eyes. How did she manage to grab on and apparate with them? Where did she come from?

"Ginny?" Harry said again suddenly at a loss for words, "What are you doing here?"

Harry was angry. Very angry. It was supposed to be just the three of them. He, Ron, and Hermione were the ones tasked to locate and destroy the Horcruxes. That was what Professor Dumbledore had wanted. He was very specific about it. Not to mention the fact that he, Ron, Hermione, and those in the Order had gone to great lengths to make sure that everyone would be protected for as long as possible when they left.

It suddenly occurred to Harry that with one rash action, Ginny had just undone a lot of work that had been undertaken by many people. Including her own Dad and brothers.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted suddenly by the exclamations of Ron and Hermione. Ron swore loudly. Hermione looked equally shocked but reacted with better grace.

"Not here," she said swiftly taking Harry by one elbow and Ron by the other. Looking fearfully around them she said, "Come on."

Together the four of them went walking quickly down the busy city sidewalk. It was evening time and there were many people out and about. There were people walking around enjoying the evening, families out for a stroll, workers who were just finishing up their jobs for the day.

Their clothes were drawing more attention than Harry was comfortable with. He gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to curse a group of men who were wolf whistling at Ginny and Hermione. They appeared to be drunk.

"Where are we?" Ron asked Hermione as they walked very quickly down the street. He glanced at the workers cautiously.

"Tottenham Court Road," Hermione said quietly as she walked staring straight ahead. There were muggles aplenty who were turning and staring. Some younger children pointed and stared. Other children who were a little older would giggle and laugh.

"Harry," Ginny said in a hurt voice trying to speak to him.

"Not just now, Ginny," Hermione replied to her curtly.

Ginny's head jerked up. Harry and Ron exchanged a look. It was the first time that they knew of when Hermione had ever been short with Ginny.

"Down here," Hermione said as she steered everyone down a darkened alleyway. The wolf whistles and laughter died away as they turned the corner and went several paces into the darkened area where the light didn't quite penetrate.

Harry looked around and let his eyes get used to the gloom. It smelled like wet cement, uncollected garbage, and other foul things that he didn't want to think about. But it was out of sight of the main street, which meant that they were safe for the moment.

"We need to change," Harry stated matter of factly.

"We don't have anything to change into!" Ron argued.

"I wish I had my invisibility cloak," Harry added as he looked around the alley. His eyes constantly scanning for signs of danger and admittedly avoiding Ginny at the moment.

"You do have it," Hermione answered him, "and some clothes."

"What?" Harry asked turning to look at her in surprise.

Hermione held up her small beaded bag, "In here..."

"What do you mean?" Ginny ventured curiously.

Hermione looked at her sternly for a moment before answering, "I put an undetectable extension charm on my bag. I've been packing it and keeping it ready to go in case we needed to leave at a moments notice,"

"What about Ginny?" Ron asked. Harry nodded agreement.

Hermione looked uncomfortable but before she could answer him, Ron rounded on Harry.

"You!" Ron exclaimed angrily.

"Me?" Harry asked in surprise, "What about me?"

Ginny looked nervously from her brother to Harry and back to Ron again. Hermione appeared to be just as cautious. She was fingering her wand with a look like she really hoped that she wouldn't have to use it.

"Yes, you!" Ron went on, "If you hadn't gone and snogged her yesterday, none of this would have happened!"

"Ron!" Hermione said placating, "Come on, we need to change. Please,"

"What about Ginny?" Harry asked again, "She can't stay in that dress,"

"Well we didn't plan on anyone else coming, did we?"

"We need to do something," Harry stated looking at her.

"What are we going to do?" Ginny asked. She hadn't really thought about what she might need to take with her when the idea to go with Harry came to her.

Hermione looked at her thoughtfully for a minute. Ginny, who was normally very outspoken, spent that minute in silence. She looked from her angry brother, to Harry, to Hermione. Then Hermione spoke.

"You two wait here for a moment. Ginny, you come with me."

"What are you going to do?" Ron demanded.

"Just wait there and watch the street," Hermione said, her voice commanding.

Ginny glanced quickly at Harry as she moved past him. Harry looked back at her grimly. He was angry and upset, but he and Ron did as Hermione said and watched the street. The silence between the two young men was palpable.

Hermione led Ginny a bit further down the darkened alleyway. There was barely enough light to see by. Hermione looked at Ginny carefully before she sighed.

"Take off your dress, please."

"What?" Ginny asked in shock, "What are you getting at Hermione?"

"You can't go around wearing that dress. You'll attract too much attention. You need to take off your dress and shoes."

Ginny looked at Hermione for a moment before handing the older witch her wand and then removing the dress and shoes as she was ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked as she removed her outfit.

While Ginny was standing there in her underwear, Hermione gave her wand back to her while she explained, "I'm going to try and transfigure your dress into something else for you to wear,"

"Like what?" Ginny wanted to know.

"Shh give me a minute, I'm thinking..."

Ginny was quiet as she watched Hermione and the two boys who stood only ten paces away with their backs to them.

"Aha!" Hermione said as she waived her wand. Ginny's shoes were the first to be transfigured. It took several tries, but soon enough Hermione was able to change them into some leather sandals. Her dress took longer. Hermione had Ginny hold it up while she worked with her wand and again, after several more attempts, managed to transfigure her dress into something more like muggle casual evening wear. Hermione smiled at her success and Ginny returned it.

"That will do for you. Give me a second while I change," Hermione said then.

Reaching into her beaded bag she pulled out some clothes and then quickly changed from her formal dress into a simple blouse and jeans.

"Okay, we need to let the boys change, then we can find somewhere to talk. We _really_ need to talk." Hermione said bossily. Ginny only nodded. She looked like she was wondering about her sudden decision to join them.

Ron and Harry quickly and silently changed into the clothes that Hermione handed to them. They didn't say a word to each other the entire time they were changing. Ron was clearly still angry and Harry was lost deep in his own thoughts.

When they finished, they approached Hermione and Ginny. Hermione was looking thoughtful, Ginny nervous. Looking from Ginny to the two boys, Hermione said;

"We need to find somewhere where we can sit down and work this out,"

Ron only nodded. He refused to look at either Ginny or Harry. Nervously Hermione looked to Harry who, after glancing quickly at Ginny, also nodded. Ginny didn't look like she knew what to say so she didn't say anything at all. It was Harry who interrupted the tense silence.

"Damn," He said,

"What is it?" Hermione asked fretfully. Ron turned towards Harry as well. For the moment his anger seemed to have subsided a bit.

"My invisibility cloak," Harry answered, "I left it at the Burrow."

"No you didn't," Hermione said with a hesitant smile.

"Hermione, I don't have it with me..."

"You're right, you don't. I have it here," she said lifting up her beaded bag again.

"In there,"

"In that bag?" asked Ron, suddenly curious.

"Yes,"

"You're amazing you are," Ron said admiringly.

"I've packed everything I thought we might need," Hermione explained as she looked sidelong at Ginny, "Books, clothes, all sorts of stuff..."

Hermione handed Harry his cloak which he quickly put on. Instantly he was invisible to everyone. Harry quickly took his wand out and kept it in his hand. At least if something happened, he wouldn't be caught totally unprepared.

"Did you pack any food?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Ron," Ginny said out of habit.

"Quiet you!" Ron ordered, his anger returning.

"Don't start on her," Harry said angrily from under his cloak, "What's done is done."

Ron looked like he had a lot more to say on the subject. He started swelling like a balloon about to explode but Hermione, seeing the coming explosion, headed him off.

"Not here! Come on. Let's just find someplace where we can get inside."

"Fine," Ginny said.

"Fine," From Ron

"Fine," Harry added, his voice slightly muffled.

It was back out into the street for the four young people. Almost immediately the cat calls and whistles started up again.

"Hey Ginger!" One drunken man yelled, "How did an ugly git like you land a beauty like that?"

Hermione's cheeks turned pink while Ron's ears turned red. He was just working up to shouting back at them when Hermione pushed him and Ginny into an open cafe. Harry slipped inside before the door closed.

The place was small, dirty, grimy, and open all night which was what had caught Hermione's attention. Ginny ran her fingers over one of the tables and made a face at the greasy film that she picked up on them. The table tops looked old and battered. The paper on the walls was peeling in places and there was a smell of old coffee and stale frying oil in the air.

Hermione steered them towards a booth against the far wall, out of sight of the door. Ginny and Hermione slid in one side, Harry and Ron the other. Harry, who was feeling the painful effects of the Polyjuice potion wearing off, put his glasses back on and felt glad as his vision went from clear to blurry to clear again in the space of a few moments.

When the server, a young woman with her hair tied back and a tattoo on the side of her neck came over, Hermione ordered three coffees. Rummaging around in her small beaded bag, Hermione extracted a handful of muggle money. She set two notes on the table and put the rest in her pocket.

"You have money?" Ginny asked staring at the notes on the table.

"I took everything I have in savings, even my Building Society money. I grabbed it before I left for the Burrow." Hermione explained as she looked around.

The server returned with the coffees. Ron absently reached out and picked up his cup. He carefully took a sip and then his face became a mask of revulsion.

"That's horrible stuff," He exclaimed, "Absolutely revolting."

Looking around to make sure they were alone, Ginny whispered a question that was on everyone's minds; "Do you think they're you know, okay?"

"I don't know," Ron answered her softly.

"I hope so," Ginny said with emotion.

Hermione looked over at Ginny, then Ron and ventured, "It all happened so fast,"

"I bet Voldemort had the Death Eaters working on those protection charms," Harry speculated quietly.

Ron winced at hearing the name, but Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "It's possible. It's no secret how close you are to everyone there, and the location of the Burrow is no secret."

Ginny took her own sip of her coffee, "Eww yuck!"

This earned her a glare from the waitress Harry noticed. Then she turned to watch two workmen who entered the cafe. They took a seat behind Hermione and Ginny. One of the men was very large. He had blond hair and his muscles bulged under his clothes. Harry's attention was caught when the other one, smaller in build and with darker hair angrily waved off the approaching waitress.

Ron put his arms on the table and put his head in his hands, "God, I hope their alright."

Hermione gave Ron a tender look. She looked like she was going to say something but never got the chance. Harry noticed the workmen as they moved in unison suddenly. He recognized that they had wands in their hands immediately. "Stupefy!" Harry cried, hitting the large blond one in the face with a sudden flash of red light. The man fell instantly to the floor and didn't move.

His compatriot was fast. He rolled out of his seat and brought his wand up, pointing it at Ron. He flicked it quickly and great black ropes exploded out of the end of it. Ron lunged out of the way but was still caught by the ropes. He was soon bound from head to foot.

Harry fired a jinx at the smaller attacker from inside his invisibility cloak, "Expelliarmus!" He missed and the spell hit the far wall.

Hermione, who was quick to pick up on what was going on, cast her own spell; "Patrificus Totalus!" The dark haired man's arms snapped down to his sides, his legs went ramrod straight and he fell flat on his face.

The waitress, who had dived behind the counter, raised her head cautiously.

"Get out of here!" Ginny yelled, "Go! Now!"

The waitress didn't wait to be told twice. She ducked out through the doors to the kitchen and a moment later the back door could be heard slamming shut.

Harry stood up and shrugged off his invisibility cloak. Ginny was raising her wand towards the still bound Ron when Hermione grabbed her wrist, "No! Not here!"

"Why not?" Ginny asked angrily.

"You're underage," Hermione explained, "You still have the trace on you, remember?"

Slowly and with a sudden realization Ginny lowered her wand. Harry pointed his wand at Ron instead and said, "Relishio!"

Instantly the ropes binding Ron loosened and fell away.

"Thanks," Ron said as he pushed them away and stood up, "How did they find us?"

"Did you do any magic since we left the wedding?" Hermione asked Ginny pointedly.

"No! None! Nothing at all!" Ginny exclaimed vehemently.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes!" Ginny affirmed.

"Well they had to come from somewhere. How did they know we were here?" Ron wondered.

Harry looked around the cafe to make sure the coast was clear, and then he went over and nudged the large blond one with his toe.

"I know him," Harry said.

Hermione looked up at Harry inquisitively. Her hair was messed up a bit and her face was still flushed from the events that had just occurred. "What do you mean?"

"That night," Ginny said with realization, "The one when Professor Dumbledore died. He was there."

Harry nodded at her and gave her a grim smile, "Yes, he was."

Ron went over and looked at the petrified man on the floor who had bound him with the black ropes.

"This is Dolohov," Ron said, "I think that other one might be Rowle,"

"Death Eaters," Harry confirmed.

"Here?" Hermione asked, "I still don't see how."

"I don't know how," Ginny said, her wand in her hand hanging uselessly at her side, "but one thing is clear..."

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"We can't stay here," Harry finished.

"Where do we go? The Leaky Cauldron?" Ron wondered.

"We can't go there, we'd be recognized!" Hermione advised.

"Well we can't go home," Ginny said sadly. The reality of the situation was beginning to dawn on her.

"Grimmauld Place," Harry said as he retrieved his invisibility cloak.

"We can't go there," Hermione argued, "Have you forgotten about Professor Snape?"

"What about him?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Where else is there, Hermione?" Harry asked her pointedly.

She thought for a moment as Harry and Ron became more and more impatient. Finally she nodded. "Fine, but we'll need to be very careful."

"No argument there," Ron agreed.

Harry nodded. He turned and really spoke to Ginny for the first time, "You're too young to do magic without the trace. Even if you learned how to apparate, you couldn't without leading them to where we are. Do you mind if I take you by side along apparition?" Ginny flinched at Harry's business like tone, but she answered him anyway.

"Fine, what do I do?" It was said with resignation.

"Take my hand," Harry said holding out his right hand. Ginny took it and Harry held her hand with a firm grip. He looked up at Hermione, "The front step?"

"Wait!" Ron said suddenly,

"What?" Harry asked,

Gesturing at the two Death Eaters who were laying on the floor motionless he asked, "What about them?"

"Oh, right," Harry said looking around.

"We need to erase their memories," Hermione advised knowingly.

"Good one," Ron agreed, "Then they can't tell anyone that they've seen us,"

Harry looked at Hermione, "You're the best with charms,"

Hermione looked from Harry to Ron to the men lying on the floor. Then she seemed to find her resolve. Raising her wand she pointed it first at one Death Eater then the other saying each time, "Obliviate,"

It was with grim satisfaction that Harry watched the eyes of the two men glaze over and their faces become expressionless. He looked at Hermione, "Before we leave we need to clear up this mess," Harry advised.

"What? Why?" Ron asked.

"Don't you think they might think it strange if they wake up in all this? Wouldn't they wonder what happened?" Harry said as he gestured at the ruined furniture around him.

"I reckon you're right," Hermione agreed.

It took a few minutes for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, using magic, to quickly clear up the mess and set things to rights. The chairs flew back together and settled into place. The tables turned upright and slid back into position, even the ashtrays, salt and pepper shakers, and coffee cups reassembled themselves and settled into place on the newly repaired tables.

"Are we ready?" Harry asked when they were finished.

Hermione nodded. Harry flashed Ginny a quick smile as he took her hand again and turned on the spot, disappearing instantly. There was the suffocating feeling of being squeezed through a thick rubber tube. And then it was over. He stood with Ginny on the stoop of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

A moment later Hermione and Ron appeared beside them. Harry took a moment to enjoy the sensation of Ginny's hand being in his again, even if only for a minute, before he released his grip. Ginny's eyes met his and Harry gave a slight nod.

They took a moment to look up and down the quiet, run down street. There was no sign of anyone around. All the nearby houses were shut up for the night. There was barely a breeze in the air.

"Well?" Ron asked, "What now?"

Harry took out his wand and touched it to the door handle. Immediately the sounds of locks turning and chains rattling could be heard from the other side of the door. Harry opened it and ushered the other three inside quickly before stepping in himself and shutting the door behind him.

The gas lamps flickered into life as soon as the door shut, casting a dim light into the room. Odd shadows were cast by the stuffed elf heads that still hung on the wall. The old portrait of Sirius' mother hung on the wall behind the thick curtains that blocked her from view. Even the old troll leg umbrella stand was still there, though it had been knocked over.

"Do you think anyone has been here?" Ron asked cautiously.

"Professor Snape was one of the secret keepers," Ginny replied.

"I think it's possible," Harry said. Hermione was nodding slowly behind him as her eyes took in the room.

"Ron," Hermione said, "didn't you say that your Dad and some of the Order put up curses against Professor Snape?"

"Yeah, they did," Ron confirmed.

"Well, where are they?"

Just then as Harry took a step forward into the room, the voice of Mad-Eye Moody came from out of the darkness; "Severus Snape?"

"We're not Snape!" Harry said in surprise and fear. No sooner had he spoken those words, something like a cool breeze blew over them and his tongue curled back on itself that made saying anything more quite impossible.

Harry was reaching up to his face when suddenly his tongue was free. He looked up at the others only to see them with equal expressions of relief tinged with more than a little fear. Hermione and Ginny in particular looked shaken and Ron was looking very nervous. Harry thought that he probably didn't look much different from them.

"I th-think that m-might have b-been one of those c-curses the O-order set." Ron stammered fearfully.

It was with great trepidation that Harry took another step forward, his eyes scanning the room constantly. Suddenly there was fast movement from the end of the hall. Something rose up out of the dust dark and horrifying. Hermione let out a scream which was immediately echoed by Mrs. Black.

As her curtains opened, a figure in grey came billowing towards them gaining speed as it went. Horrified beyond speech, Harry recognized the long, grey hair and beard, even though its face was shriveled and skull-like, no eyes in the sockets and teeth visible in a ghastly smile. One arm raised up accusingly pointing towards Harry.

"No!" Ginny Screamed.

"It wasn't us!" Ron said breathlessly.

"We didn't kill you!" Harry yelled hoarsely.

As soon as the statement left Harry's lips, the figure disappeared in a great _Chuff!_ leaving only a cloud of sediment in the air.

Everyone started hacking and coughing. Hermione, Ginny and Ron had cowered back against the door in fear. Hermione was quivering and Ginny wasn't faring much better. Even Ron's hands were shaking as he tried to calm the two young women. "G-gone now," Harry heard him repeating over and over.

Through it all Mrs. Black had continued to scream. Harry took his wand and went up to her.

"Filth! Mudbloods! In my house! Blood-traitors and brats besmirching my family's home!"

"QUIET YOU!" Harry said leveling his wand at the portrait. He flicked it once and the curtains swung shut punctuating the order. For the moment, the room was silent.

Turning towards the others Harry said, "I think that's it,"

"Are you sure?" Ron asked.

"I think so." Harry answered him.

"Could there be someone in here?" Ginny asked as she looked around, "Hiding maybe?"

Hermione looked at Ginny thoughtfully for a moment. Then she stood up unsteadily and raised her wand pointing it into the room. "One way to find out,"

Standing to one side, Harry watched as she cleared her throat and said, "Homonim Revelio!"

Nothing happened.

"What was that supposed to do?" Questioned Ron.

"If anyone were here, that spell would have caused them to show themselves," Hermione explained.

The four stood there in the room for another minute before Ginny asked, "Is it safe to go up?"

"I reckon so," Harry said as he led the way into his Godfather's home. Hermione waved her wand at the lamps igniting more of them as they went further up and into the house.

They gathered in the drawing room. Ron checked out side from between a crack in the window drapes. "All clear, at least for now."

Harry sat down on one sofa, Hermione and Ginny sitting next to him. Ron took a seat in the chair opposite them. They looked at each other for a minute before Ginny asked, "How do you think they found us?"

Looking at Harry, Hermione asked; "Do you think it could be the Trace?"

"Couldn't be," Ron exclaimed confidently, "It breaks at seventeen. That's wizarding law."

"But what if one of the Death Eaters found a way to put it back on him?" Hermione argued.

"They couldn't have, Harry's not left the Burrow since that night you lot went after him," Ginny reasoned.

"Well they knew we were there, how do you explain that?" Hermione asked, "Unless you used magic?"

Ginny shook her head vigorously, "No, I've not used any magic at all. I grabbed Harry when I realized what you were going to do and I rode along when you all apparated."

"Speaking of that," Ron said as his ears turned red again, "What were you thinking grabbing on to Harry like that? You're damn lucky you weren't splinched!"

"Ron, it wasn't like that," Ginny started to say,

"Tell me what it was like then because I don't see it!" Ron was standing now and beginning to pace. Hermione's eyes followed him as he moved her expression unreadable.

"Ron..."

"Don't 'Ron' me, you don't know the danger you put yourself in!"

"But..."

"But what, Ginny? You-know-who's after us! You know the things Dad and everyone went to, to make this work for us. What about that?"

Harry watched Ron as he worked himself up into a temper. He was passing back and forth in front of them building up a head of steam. Part of him agreed with Ron. They had taken a lot of steps to be able to leave the Burrow and begin hunting down the Horcruxes. Ginny being with them when she wasn't a part of all of the planning and preparing was not going to help.

She thought they were hunting down Voldemort. She didn't know anything about the Horcruxes; they deliberately kept that from her.

However another part of him wasn't sure what to think. She must have had her reasons when she did it. There had to be, or why else would she suddenly do something that drastic? Harry was at a loss as to what that reason could be, but at the moment he wasn't going to get a chance to ask. Ron continued his tirade.

"Months of planning..." Ron was going on,

"Ron," Ginny said softly,

"Days of work, Hermione making sure she was packing everything..."

"But I..." Her voice even quieter, her eyes starting to glisten.

"George was nearly killed when we rescued Harry, what's mum going to do when she realizes you're gone?"

"Yes but..." The first tear started to slide its way silently down Ginny's cheek.

"And Dad! Dad is going to go 'round the twist!"

"B-but,"

"BUT WHAT!?" Ron roared, Harry started to speak but Ginny beat him to it. She suddenly jumped up to her feet, both hands balled into fists and tears now streaming freely from both eyes. But it was what she said that got everyone's attention.

"I LOVE HIM, DAMN YOU! I'M IN LOVE WITH HARRY AND I DON'T WANT HIM TO GET KILLED!" With that, Ginny started sobbing and ran from the room.

Ron jerked back as if he'd been slapped. Hermione gasped and turned to look at Harry who had closed his eyes, trying to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. The room was dead silent except for the sound of a door slamming somewhere upstairs.

"I knew it!" Hermione said quietly.

But before Harry could ask Hermione what she meant, his scar suddenly blazed into a searing, blinding, all encompassing pain. He fell off the sofa and started writhing in agony on the drawing room floor. Ron and Hermione could only stare in open mouthed shock at what going on in front of them, powerless to help. Harry bit his lips and tried not to scream from the pain.


	3. Explaining Things

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N-** Well this is really starting to take its own direction now. As this story goes on it will begin to deviate more and more from the original DH storyline. If you're simply looking for a rewrite of DH w/Ginny included more- this won't be it.

By Ginny joining the happy trio on the run, it's causing some major changes in the way things are going to have to be addressed. Some things that might have waited are suddenly in need of some attention. Other priorities now have to be accounted for. And that doesn't include still finding a way to do those things that they had originally set out to do.

**Chapter 3**

Harry lay on the floor of the drawing room in agony. He was unable to move under his own power. The intensity was too great. As he lay there enduring the all encompassing pain he felt a sense of rage come over him.

Beginning to see with eyes that were not his own, Harry watched as a long, dark room appeared in his sight. It was lit only by a fire that was burning dimly on one end. There was a Death Eater, the one he distantly recognized as Rowle, on the floor. At the moment he was rolling around on that floor screaming in what looked like great pain of his own.

Harry felt the anger building to a rage as a pale white arm rose into his line of sight, holding a wand. Then the screams of the one on the floor increased and his moving became more pitiful; squirming like an overexcited infant child.

His ears heard the high pitched rasp of a voice ordering a fearful Draco Malfoy to keep the torture going. Keep it going or risk feeling some of that pain for him. Following Draco's gaze as it flicked to one side, he saw the other, darker one. Dolohov was spread eagled on the floor unconscious and had been roughly pushed aside to make room for the torture of Rowle.

"_You called me back for this, to tell me that Harry Potter has escaped again..."_ The cold voice said.

And then the pain began to subside. The scene that had been playing out in the eyes of Voldemort became nothing more than a memory for Harry to think about. He wasn't sure how to feel about it, but one thing was clear: Voldemort knew that he had escaped and he was not at all pleased about it.

Opening his eyes Harry looked around the room. Ron was kneeling on the floor next to him, his face white. The sofa had been kicked out of place and was sitting some distance away from where Harry lie on the floor. The thick carpeting was cushioning his head. Wondering where Hermione was and anxious to put this experience behind him, Harry started to sit up.

"Easy mate," Ron said quietly helping Harry into a sitting position.

"Sorry about that," Harry said sheepishly.

"What did you see?" Ron asked, lowering his voice even further.

Harry thought back for a moment before answering, "Voldemort torturing Rowle. He's not happy that I got away."

"Did you see anything else?" Ron wanted to know. Harry thought he could detect an edge to his tone and figured he knew why. Ron wanted to know if Harry saw his family. He was worried.

"Nothing, just that he was making Malfoy help him..."

"Who was making Malfoy help him do what?" Hermione asked as she walked back into the room. She handed Harry a cool, damp washcloth.

Harry accepted the cloth and wiped his face with hit. He quickly told Hermione about what it was that he had seen.

"But Harry!" Hermione exclaimed nervously, "You're supposed to be using Occlumency so you won't see those things anymore!"

"It's not like he could help it," Ron vouched.

"No, I couldn't," Harry quickly agreed. Taking a deep breath he got unsteadily to his feet.

It took a moment to get his bearings. That was when he realized how much his head was hurting from his recent foray into Voldemort's mind. He didn't like the pain, but was reluctant to say anything about it for fear of giving Hermione more fuel for her arguments.

"You better sit down, Harry," Hermione said worriedly.

Harry saw no reason to dispute her. Together the three returned to the sofa, moved it back into place, and then sat back down upon it. He closed his eyes for a moment. He thought that Ron and Hermione were probably having a silent conversation about what had just happened. Then he decided that whether they were or not, at the moment he just didn't care. He just wanted his head to stop hurting.

Hermione took the cool cloth from his hand and began to wipe his head with it. Harry let her knowing that if he refused it would only hurt her feelings. He felt Ron on the other side of him. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"What is it, Ron?" Harry asked. He could tell that Ron had something on his mind and he had a good idea as to what it was. His own mind had just started drifting that way as well; up to a certain redheaded person currently upstairs.

"Well..." Ron began but Hermione interrupted him.

"We need to talk about Ginny," She stated plainly.

And there it was. Just like that. The very thing he'd begun to think about was now the topic of the room. Ginny. Part of him was still upset with her for joining them. He wished she hadn't. In no way did he want her near the dangers they were likely to face.

Then there was the other part of him that was starting to wish that it was Ginny who was wiping his forehead with the damp cloth. That it was she who was ministering to him and trying to comfort him. He couldn't help but wonder what that would be like.

"What about her?" Harry wanted to know. He opened his eyes and caught Ron and Hermione exchanging glances.

But before anymore could be said on the subject a silvery ball silently entered the room. It settled into a Weasel Patronus. The voice of Arthur Weasley emanated from it in very stern, brief message:

_"The situation is bad. Everyone has scattered and they've not all been accounted for. Stay where you are; do not try to make contact. We are being watched."_

The Patronus disappeared as quickly as it came. The three young people in the drawing room stared for a minute at where the Patronus had been. The shock of the message had left them all speechless. Then Ron's eyes opened wide and the color drained from his face. He stood up and went to stand in the entryway to the room facing away from Harry and Hermione. His head was bowed and his shoulders hunched.

For the moment Ginny was forgotten upstairs as Harry and Hermione stared at Ron's silent figure. Then carefully Hermione got up and approached Ron from behind. She silently wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. Not sure what to do, Harry busied himself with studying the patterns on the sofa.

"Ron, I'm sure things will be alright," Hermione said trying to comfort him.

Ron remained silent. Harry couldn't blame him. He was shocked by the news and worried about them all himself. The Weasley's were the closest thing he had ever had to a family of his own. At that moment he was glad that Ginny and Ron were with him as dangerous as it might be. Because they were there, he knew that they at least were safe. However that didn't stop him from worrying about the others.

Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Fleur, and Charlie. What had happened to them? Thinking for a minute Harry figured that Mr. Weasley at least was probably okay; after all he was the one who had sent the message. He also thought it likely that Mrs. Weasley was with him. That left Ron's brothers and the rest; Hagrid, Remus, Tonks, Viktor, the Lovegoods, and the other wedding guests.

Harry wished in that moment that he had some way to find out where they were at and how they were doing. He sorely wanted to know that they were alright. To know that they had all got away from the Death Eaters and hadn't come to harm.

Then a thought occurred to Harry, "You know," Harry began slowly, his words forming with his thoughts, "That message only said that everyone was scattered. It didn't say that anyone was hurt or dead. It only said not to make contact because they were being watched,"

Hermione looked over at him and nodded. She was quick to pick up on this train of thought.

"Harry's right," she said tenderly, "I'm sure if things were really bad; they would find a way to let us know,"

"Think about it," Harry added, "Ginny's with us. We know she's safe. I don't think your dad would have left your mom and he's the one who sent the message so I think they're safe too. And you know Fred and George can look out for themselves..." "...And Bill would never let anything happen to Fleur," Hermione added hopefully.

Ron turned around, his eyes rimmed in red. He nodded and awkwardly patted Hermione on the back. Harry looked way from his friend while Ron wiped at his eyes.

"Yeah, you're right," Ron said his voice little more than a croak, "We shouldn't worry until we know we have something to worry about,"

Harry looked up at his friend and smiled. Ron came back into the room and sat down. Hermione however kissed him on the cheek and went the other way. It looked like she was going to follow Ginny upstairs and see where she went. Harry and Ron looked quizzically at each other as they were left alone with their thoughts.

Harry's mind began to drift over the two things foremost on his conscience. He was as worried as Ron about everyone they left at the wedding. The Death Eaters that had attacked had come looking for him. They, the Weasley's and the members of the Order had gone to a lot of trouble so he could be there and Harry truly hoped that no one was hurt because of him.

Then his thoughts turned toward Ginny. She'd just jumped on him and held on for the ride when they apparated away. At first he'd thought that maybe a Death Eater had grabbed on to him. Now she was with them and that posed a whole new set of problems. Not to mention an entirely new set of dangers that they hadn't even begun to think about. Add to that the fact that two Death Eaters had somehow discovered their whereabouts in downtown London. It was a little unnerving.

And then there were those words; those beautiful words Ginny had said just before running from the room. Harry felt his heart swell at the thought of them...

Ron cleared his throat. "Um...Harry?" Ron asked a little too casually. Harry, whose thoughts had just been dwelling on Ginny and the statement she'd made before she went running from the room, responded with;

"Yeah?"

"Well I...I... mean I ah...well what I wanted to know is..."

"Just say it Ron," Harry asked feeling suspicious of Ron's tone and lack of ability to put his thoughts into words.

"Well, Ginny's here," Ron began lamely.

"Yeah, I kind of noticed that," Harry replied not sure what Ron was getting at.

"Well what are we going to do about it?" Ron asked finally.

Harry had this distinct impression that Ron's thoughts were more along the lines of what his were. But Ron, in an extreme tribute to their friendship, was trying to ask Harry about his feelings without coming right out about it.

"I don't know Ron," Harry answered truthfully, "But she shouldn't stay here. We should probably try and find somewhere for her to go where she can be safe."

"You don't want her here?" Ron asked in equal parts curiosity and indignation.

"I don't want her in danger. You know I broke things off with her and you know why I had to do it. Now what happens if they find out she's with us? We're in enough danger as it is!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Ron replied. His eyes intent and his ears were starting to turn red now, always a bad sign.

Harry looked at Ron directly and took a deep breath. He wanted to explain this right. Also his head was hurting and this topic of discussion was not helping things. Harry sat forward and put his head gently into his hands. A sudden vision of Ginny being chased by Death Eaters went running through his mind. That vision was easy enough to carry on to her getting caught. Harry shook his head to try and clear his mind. One thing he did not want to think about was what might happen to Ginny if the Death Eaters caught up to them.

"Ron, I don't know if I can do this with Ginny here. I don't know if I can concentrate on finding and destroying those Horcruxes if I'm always worrying about what might happen to her." Harry said not looking at his friend. He was finding it supremely difficult to talk about Ginny and the feelings she evoked in him.

To Harry's great surprise, Ron placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder and said,

"I know, mate...believe me I know."

Harry looked at Ron and saw the understanding in his eyes. He realized in that moment that it couldn't be easy for Ron either, having Hermione running around with them. Ron probably felt just like Harry did and for the same reasons. They both knew it would do no good to ask her about it. Hermione's feelings would be hurt. And, Harry admitted to himself, without her keen intellect they would never have gotten out of half the scrapes they'd been in. They needed her. It was as simple as that. But that didn't make things any less difficult.

_Ginny _had run upstairs to the old bedroom she had used when she had stayed at Grimmauld Place previously. As soon as she fell on to the old bed with the squeaking springs she buried her face in her arms and continued sobbing her heart out.

She was mad, very mad. Her Git of a brother hadn't even given her a chance to explain things. He'd gone on and on about her and his thoughts about her joining them until she just couldn't take anymore. Then she herself went and spouted off loudly about her feelings for Harry! There wasn't any way he couldn't have heard it. They all did.

What was more, Ron knew how she felt! He'd seen her over the summer and how Harry breaking things off had affected her. Why couldn't he even try to understand how much it meant to her? How much she needed to be with them? She had known that her feelings for Harry were much stronger, much more intense than for any other boy she'd ever dated. She hadn't lied to Harry when she told him that she'd never given up on him. Those few weeks at school before Dumbledore had died were like a dream come true. But they had also caused her to realize that her feelings for him were much, much more than she'd realized. And now everyone knew it.

Ginny didn't feel like she'd ever be able to show her face to Harry again. Harry, he didn't say anything when Ron was going off at her. What was he going to say now? What was he thinking? Well he wasn't getting rid of her now that she was here, she would see to that!

Laying there lost in her thoughts and her mind dwelling on what had happened since she had suddenly decided to join the group, Ginny lost track of time. She didn't hear anything happening downstairs. She couldn't hear voices or the sounds of anyone moving around. Would they leave her here? Would that be how they got rid of her?

A soft knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. Ginny looked up just as Hermione slowly opened the door just a crack. It creaked a bit on the rusty hinges.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked softly. Ginny wasn't sure she was ready to talk at the moment. However Hermione had made the effort to come upstairs and check on her, Ginny could at least respond to her older friend.

"What is it, Hermione?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Are you okay?" Hermione said, concerned.

Ginny gave a humorless laugh, "Ron just yelled at me and made me look really stupid in front of Harry. And then I just happened to go and yell out for everyone to hear that I love him. What do you think, Hermione?"

Hermione came over and sat down quietly on the bed and put a gentle hand on Ginny's leg. The springs barely made any noise. "You really do love him, don't you."

It was a statement, not a question. Hermione knew how Ginny felt. There were no secrets between them on this topic and hadn't been for a long time now.

"Yes, I do." Ginny sighed heavily, the tears threatening to flow again.

"You've liked him for a long time," Another statement but said very gently.

"Yes, I have." Ginny confirmed again. This wasn't helping things.

"Are you sure that...?"

"Sure that what? That I really do love him? Is that what you're asking?" Ginny asked a little offended.

"No, not that. I already know how you feel," Hermione said quietly, "I was thinking of something else..."

"Do you mean 'am I sure that I should have come along?'" Ginny asked her voice cracking.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said and Ginny could tell that she really meant it.

Things were quiet between the two young women for a long moment. Then Ginny spoke softly; "I did what you said, I went out with other blokes. I quit pining after Harry and just started letting myself be me when he was around. At first it was hard but as the days went on it became easier. I still hoped that he would notice me, but I never really expected it to happen. Then things changed in fifth year. He noticed me. At first I didn't dare hope. I figured that it was just him being protective of me as Ron's little sister. But then it became more and more clear that his feelings for me were a little more than that and all my old feelings for him came back. That's when I realized they never went away. That I'd always liked Harry, and it's not like the way I felt with Michael or even with Dean,"

Hermione nodded a little in the darkness of the room. Ginny could just barely see the silhouette of her head moving.

"I liked them both. I even kissed them. Dean was better at that than Michael was. But Harry was...different," Ginny said trying to explain.

"How so?" A patient question. One that forced Ginny to really think through her feelings for Harry and analyze just how they were different from those she had carried for anyone else.

"Harry's Harry. It's like he's in a class all by himself. I don't see other guys when he's around. My eyes are only for him. He's the one that I want. It's not like its some schoolyard crush. This is much, much different. But I could never tell him that..."

"Why not?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Because I knew, I always knew, that sooner or later you lot would have to leave. I knew that when you did I would get left behind. I still dated him those few, short weeks because I didn't care. I finally got the one thing that I've always wanted. Then when Professor Dumbledore died that really put an end to things. Harry broke things off. He said it was 'for my protection', and that it would be really dangerous for me to be there with him. With all of you. He ended it, just like that," Ginny said, the tears quietly falling now in the darkness. Hermione wiped Ginny's tears and started gently stroking her face and hair, letting her talk. Ginny could hear a sniffle and knew that Hermione's own tears were flowing now too.

"I won't pretend that didn't hurt," Ginny went on, "I just didn't realize it would hurt as much as it did. Hermione, I don't think someone using the Cruciatus Curse on me would hurt as much it did when he ended things."

"Well Harry knows how you feel now. That has to be worth something, doesn't it?"

"Does it, Hermione? Is it really going to matter? That's not going to stop you lot from going off again, is it?" Ginny said.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted, "I don't know what the plan is now. Things really fell apart at the wedding. We didn't have any chances to make any plans to speak of."

Ginny let that comment go for the time being. She really didn't want to think about them leaving just now. Then a thought occurred to her so she asked; "What about you and Ron?"

The room was quiet for a long minute again. Ginny was beginning to wonder if Hermione would answer when her quiet voice said;

"I don't know, Ginny. I wish I did. Running around hunting Horcruxes isn't really a good time to go trying to build some kind of relationship, you know?"

"Do you think it will happen?"

"I'm not sure what Ron's feelings are. I think he feels the same way I do, but he's never really come right out and said it. Sometimes I see the look in his eyes or he'll say something really nice and I'm sure that maybe he really is starting to come around. Then there are days when I'm not so sure," Hermione explained.

"Do you want it to happen?" Ginny prompted.

"Yes, I suppose I do. He can be an insensitive prat sometimes but he can also be really sweet. I didn't realize how much I wanted things to happen for us until last year..."

"I remember," Ginny said reminiscing.

"So do I. I remember everything that happened and I decided that when things ended between him and Lavender that I would do more to try and help things move forward between us. It's not moved very far yet."

Ginny gave another humorless laugh, "Well, they say Hogwarts wasn't built in a day."

"No, I don't think it was..." Hermione said letting the thought go at the moment. The room was quiet as the two friends sat in the dark thinking about recent events and the current turn of things. Then quietly, just above a whisper, Ginny made known the other thing that was on her mind.

"Do you think they're alright?"

Hermione did not have to ask who it was that Ginny was talking about.

"I don't know. Your dad sent a message just before I came up here. He made it sound like things were pretty bad. He said that everyone was scattered and that they're being watched anyway. He also said not to try and make contact for that reason but we need to find a way to let him know where you are..."

"Any ideas?" Ginny wanted to know.

"None at the moment. Your dad used his Patronus to speak to us. Just for that short message."

"Can you do it?"

"I've been working on it. I think I've got the twist to the charm down, but I don't want to send it to him if it's going to cause them any problems," Hermione explained reasonably.

Ginny did her best to put her worries aside. So she asked the next question that came to her mind; "What do we do now?"

"I think we need to go back downstairs. I'm sure the boys are wondering what we're doing up here and we need to try and start to get things figured out," Hermione answered.

_Harry _looked up when he heard Ginny and Hermione coming down the stairs. Together they entered the drawing room where Ron and Harry were sitting and sat down themselves. After her outburst Harry was very uncomfortable. He had no clue what to say to Ginny or even how to say it. He mumbled the first thing that came to his mind.

"Hey,"

Ginny looked at Harry for a minute before answering in an equally quiet tone, "Hey.

Hermione caught Harry's eye. She was gesturing towards Ginny behind her back and it looked like she wanted him to talk to her. What was he supposed to say? Harry glanced at Ron who was looking pointedly at the blank wall. Harry sighed inwardly.

Reaching out awkwardly he patted her back and asked her in that same quiet voice, "Are you alright?"

Ginny turned to look at Harry long and hard. Feeling the heat rise in his face, Harry tried to smile at her. Her eyes blazed and then softened a bit. She leaned into Harry and wrapped her arms around him. Harry returned the gesture and saw Hermione nodding fervently while Ron was still looking the other way. They sat together like that for a while.

Eventually Ginny took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and spoke. Her voice was flat, monotone, almost entirely without emotion. But it was what she said that had Harry's attention solidly placed on her.

"You know, I thought I could do it. Let you go on your way and leave me behind. You explained why you were going and why you couldn't be with me. I understood what you said and why you were doing it, even if I didn't agree with you."

Harry felt Ginny tremble slightly in his arms and for the moment tightened his hold on her. She went on; "I know that you're going after him, You-Know-Who, you all but told me that. I know that you have some mission that you're going on and that's why you're not returning to school.

But Harry, you don't know what this last summer was like. It wasn't really much of a holiday for me. And then this summer when you lot all came back and Mad-Eye was gone, just like that..." Ginny said with a snap of her fingers. She sniffled and Harry heard her swallow hard, "I knew that...well I, I just couldn't help but wonder what if it had been you? What if you were the one who didn't come back? Harry, I love you. I can't live my life wondering what is happening to you while you're out trying to save the world. I just can't do it. I tried it for half a summer and it didn't work. So when I saw that you lot were going to leave, I saw my chance and I took it. I'm not sorry I did it either."

Harry was completely overwhelmed with everything he had just heard Ginny say. She was right; he did have his reasons for leaving her behind. Did she really know how much danger she would be in? Did she understand that this might not work? That they really might not come back? Then there was Ginny herself. Harry was lost deep in his thoughts.

He glanced at Hermione first and then Ron. He was surprised to see that they both were watching him expectantly. Then he realized that he really needed to say something back to her. She had opened up to him, now it was his turn. He took a deep breath, and then spoke quietly.

"Ginny, I didn't mean to hurt you. Those weeks were some of the best I've ever had. Ever. Do you think I want you to get hurt? I couldn't stand seeing that. The only way I can go on and do the things I have to do is if I know that you're safe and out of harm's way."

Ginny interrupted him, defiance and anger in her tone; "I'm a big girl, Harry. I can fend well enough for myself. Remember the Department of Mysteries? Or how about that night when Dumbledore died? I was there, remember?"

"Yes, I do. I also remember what happened there too. You got hurt."

"Yes, I did. So did Ron and Hermione and they're going with you," Ginny argued.

"I didn't ask them to; they made that decision on their own..."

"That's exactly what I'm doing now, aren't I?"

"They're both of age," Harry said looking at both of them. They had so far remained silent during this discussion. Harry however knew that they would want to be a part of it; even if it wasn't the most comfortable situation for any of them.

"But they weren't when they decided they would fight with you, were they? It's been you three all along. Harry, I need to be there too."

"Why? Why do you need to be there when you'll only end up getting hurt or worse?"

"I already told you why..." Ginny replied quietly now. And she had. She had admitted her feelings for Harry twice now.

He opened his mouth to say more and then realized that there wasn't any use arguing with her about this tonight. Neither of them was going to change their minds. Harry was getting upset. Why wouldn't she listen to reason? Was it that important to her?

For tonight anyway this discussion was over. Ron yawned hugely. Hermione looked tired and Harry knew his own eyes were starting to droop. He could only imagine what Ginny looked like.

"Does anyone mind if we sleep in here? Just for tonight?" Hermione asked suddenly. Everyone nodded their heads.

Ginny sat up and looked around the room quietly. Ron and Harry got up off the couch while Hermione started pulling sleeping bags out of her beaded bag. There were three bags and four people. Ginny looked at the bags and sighed. Ron, in a sudden bit of gallantry, suggested that the girls use the pillows from the sofa to sleep on which Harry agreed to.

Then Ron asked the question that was on everyone's mind; "What about the...you know...the uh...s-sleeping arrangements?"

Harry looked at Ron who was looking at the floor as if he'd just realized how closely packed they would be laying out together there.

"Ron," Hermione replied patiently, "Let's just go to sleep, okay?"

He nodded and Harry smiled. Then he turned to Ginny, "Why don't you take my sleeping bag?" He asked. Ron looked up at him.

"What about you?" Ginny replied tiredly.

"I'll be alright," Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak. He knew it wasn't intended as a blanket, but it would serve well enough for one night.

Ginny smiled her thanks at Harry and then took a sleeping bag from Hermione's outstretched hand, laid it out on the floor, and climbed in. Harry was the last to lie down. He lay out on the floor and draped his invisibility cloak over his legs.

The arrangements were precarious with Hermione and Ginny on impromptu beds in the middle between Ron and Harry with Harry being closest to the door. Harry waved his wand and the lights dimmed down considerably, leaving just enough to see by if someone got up during the night.

The last thing that Harry felt as he was falling asleep were Ginny's fingers intertwining with his. Harry felt warmth blooming in his chest and a security in her presence. At least tonight she would be safe. Tonight at least they could sleep.


	4. Clues come to light

**A/N-** Things in this story are really starting to move now. More of the differences from that one little choice of Ginny's will start to come to light. I would love to hear from you who read this story, either by PM or by review, and to know your thoughts on it. This has definitely been a difficult, though delightful, task to undertake. I want to thank you in advance for taking some of your time to read it.

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 4**

Harry knew he was dreaming. He knew it on a fundamental level. Yet he couldn't make himself wake up. It was the strangest of dreams. He knew that he wasn't lying in his bed. In his dream he was at Hogwarts. He was flying through the school but there was no one inside it. The halls were empty. Looking at his surroundings, Harry realized that the appearance of the school matched they way it looked in his fourth year.

As he moved within the dream and outside of the castle, Harry could clearly see the great ship from Durmstrang. He remembered that the ship. It had carried their selected delegation. One of whom would compete in the Tri-Wizard tournament. The vessel sat calmly on the still, black waters of the lake. There were barely any ripples from the ship as it bobbed gently on the waves.

The stately Beauxbatons Carriage sat regally parked within site of Hagrid's home. The twelve great winged palominos were eating calmly in a paddock that had been made for them. Every now and then one of the elephant sized horses would lift it's head regally and give its wings a flap or two and then return nonchalantly to it's dinner. Harry even heard the roar of a crowd from over by the Quidditch pitch.

The Quidditch Pitch, Harry thought, site of the third task in the tri wizard cup. In the way of dreams it only took a moment for Harry to fly over the grounds towards the pitch. Harry immediately recognized in the middle of the pitch the hedgerow maze that had been the site of the third and final task of the Tri-Wizard-Tournament. Harry passed over the crowd that was roaring loudly as the four contestants entered the maze.

It was with a great feeling of dread that Harry entered that maze again. This time he easily breezed through the hedges. He blew past the obstacles all the way to the very center of the maze in less than a second, and then he was there.

Harry watched the surreal scene as it happened before him. He watched himself as he and Cedric came rushing together into the center of the maze in a race for the cup. As one they both reached out and touched the cup where it sat. With a flash of bright blue light and a sudden jerk he was moving through space and time. Harry knew where they were going. He was filled with a sense of dread as they appeared suddenly in the graveyard of Little Hangleton. Harry knew what was coming next.

"CEDRIC RUN!" Harry screamed, though he knew it would do no good, "RUN AWAY CEDRIC, PLEASE YOU HAVE TO RUN NOW!"

Harry was there in his dream watching over himself and Cedric as they stood up from where they had landed in the graveyard. Harry felt a great agony at knowing that Cedric's death was fast approaching and there was nothing that could be done about it. He watched in horror as his younger self discussed with Cedric the wisdom of having their wands at the ready.

When Wormtail appeared, Harry knew that it was getting close. He watched again helplessly as the traitorous man entered the graveyard carrying what Harry now knew to be what was then all that had been left of Lord Voldemort. All that was left before...

It was no use. The voice came out of the darkness, that voice he could recognize above almost any other. And then he heard that voice speaking in a high pitched rasp like a snake's hiss that belonged to him. It gave the order that ended Cedric's life

"_Kill the spare!" _it had said viciously.

"CEDRIC NO!" Harry screamed as the blast of green light hit Cedric square in his chest. Cedric Diggory was dead at Harry's feet. Even in his dreams Harry felt all over again the devastation at seeing Cedric killed a second time.

"Cedric I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Harry sobbed in his dream. His chest constricted and his breathing hitched.

He watched as Harry was forcibly taken to the large headstone that belonged to Tom Riddle, Voldemort's muggle father. He watched this time and remembered as the ropes bound him in place, holding him tightly. Wormtail was efficient as he worked making sure first that Harry was bound and then turning towards that thing in the bundle of cloth.

"NO, DON'T DO IT!" Harry screamed, "They trusted you. You turned your back on them! How could you!"

Harry's knew that his words fell on deaf ears. There was no way Pettigrew could hear him. He was dreaming and he was fully aware of that. The fact that he was dreaming still did not dampen the pain he felt when he watched Cedric die or the agony of watching Lord Voldemort reappear out of the fire where Wormtail had cast the components to work the spell that restored his body to him.

The Death Eaters poured in to stand as one before their newly risen master. They cowered before him as Voldemort chastised them for deserting him and made clear his disappointment in all of them. Harry watched and heard as they begged forgiveness. It made him sick to think of what it really meant when they asked to be allowed to serve him and make amends for their lack of faith in him.

Harry watched himself do battle against that newly risen Voldemort. He watched as the Death Eaters surrounded them and were ordered to let Harry and Voldemort fight alone.

He remembered again as he dreamed the horrific pain as Voldemort cast the Cruciatus curse at him in that graveyard. Harry relived the raw emotion of seeing his dead parents as they reappeared in front of him. He heard their words in his dreams and saw the look of first disbelief and then hope on his own face in those final, frantic moments. He watched and remembered as his parents, as well as Bertha Jorkins, Cedric , and an old muggle helped him to get away from Voldemort, touch the Tri-Wizard-Cup, and return with it and Cedric's lifeless body back to the school.

Harry returned to the scene in front of the maze and watched as he and Cedric suddenly appeared. He felt as much as he remembered the sensation of slamming into the ground with Cedric at his side. Then things started to change. What played out in front of him this time felt different.

When Harry looked up from the sight of he and Cedric lying prostrate on the ground he found himself not surrounded by a cheering crowd of onlookers, but being watched by a person who was sitting just outside of his line of sight.

It turned out that the person who was there waiting for Harry in his dreams was none other than Professor Dumbledore. "Hello Harry, we meet again."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked, completely flabbergasted at what had just happened, "Where are we?"

The bright blue eyes beneath the half moon spectacles regarded Harry with equal parts joy and wonder. Harry got the impression, as he often did, that those eyes could see right through him.

"I was rather hoping you could tell me," Dumbledore replied simply.

"I don't know sir. I think I'm dreaming, or at least I was. I was in that graveyard again where Cedric died. I saw Voldemort being reborn. When I took the Portkey with Cedric back, I ended up here," Harry explained.

"I see," said Dumbledore still looking at Harry, "and why do you think that is?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, sir."

Dumbledore stood up. He was wearing the same robes he was in as when Harry last saw him, but his features were a little changed. They were as strong as Harry remembered when he had first seen him on that Chocolate Frog card so long ago. Gone were the effects of the potion he drank that night in the seaside cave. Gone too were any effects of the Horcrux on his right hand, which now looked as normal as ever it was.

Dumbledore raised his hand and smiled. "Yes, I am whole again. Or as whole as one can be when one dies at my age,"

"So you're not really here? I really am dreaming all this?" Harry asked fearfully.

"You are dreaming, yes. But why should that mean that I'm not here?"

Harry stared at Dumbledore dumbfounded. Seeming to sense Harry's confusion, Dumbledore went on; "Harry, there is an untapped magic that is often present when we dream. Our souls are free to wander to places past and present where our bodies may not often go. We see things, events, even people who are or who were dear to us in our dreams. Sometimes they speak to us and if we are wise and pay attention, we might learn something. Often times that something can be a thing of great importance. So it behooves us to pay attention and to remember."

"Is that why you're here now?" Harry asked, "Sir?"

"Very astute, Harry. Well done. Yes, that is, in the main, why I am here," Dumbledore confirmed.

"I'm sorry you died, sir," Harry admitted.

Looking at Harry kindly, Dumbledore said, "Harry, there is nothing to fear in death. To the wise and educated mind, death is nothing but the next great adventure."

"Am I...you know...dead?" Harry couldn't help but wonder.

"Dear me, no. This is, as I say, only a dream, and from what I understand a rather educational one for you," Dumbledore said. Then, Dumbledore looked at something that was over Harry's shoulder.

The graveyard Harry had so recently left was no longer there. In it's place now was the scene that had occurred just the night before. It was when Ginny and Ron were bickering and she had shouted out her love for Harry and then ran crying upstairs.

"Ah young love," Dumbledore sighed, "How would it be to be young again? To have so much to look forward to?"

"Sir?" Harry was confused.

"Forgive me, Harry. I am reminiscing on the past. You see, love, in all it's forms, never ceases to amaze me. This is another wonderful example of that," Dumbledore explained with a twinkle in his eye.

"How so, sir?" Harry wondered.

"You are familiar already with the love your parents had for you that night they died. You know that your mother, by sacrificing herself for you, gave you a protection that served you and protected you for a long time, even still to this day," Nodding his head towards Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as they silently talked in the drawing room just before they went to bed, Dumbledore went on, "Your friends love you, Harry. They too are willing to sacrifice their lives to help you to complete those tasks ahead of you. This is something that they have proven to you again and again. Even Miss Weasley, who has so recently demonstrated the true depth of her love for you, has shown her willingness to sacrifice herself, for you."

Harry was dumbfounded again. He had never really stopped to think about any of this before, yet he knew as soon as Dumbledore's words reached his ears that they were true.

Harry looked at Dumbledore and nodded his head. Dumbledore smiled sadly at Harry now and he gestured towards Ginny, who Harry saw was sitting curled in his arms.

"You do her a great disservice by not confiding in her. In not trusting her. She has risked her life to join you. She has a right to know what it is that she is facing by doing so."

"But sir, you said that I could only tell Ron and Hermione," Harry replied.

"I did indeed, Harry. But like anyone else, I am human. I am an old man and as such I am as equally prone to making mistakes. I would even go so far as to say that being smarter and wiser than a goodly number of men, my mistakes are often correspondingly greater. No matter how much I might try to avoid them.

Also I rather think that Miss Weasley, no matter how much you might want to protect her from harm, has earned the right to know what it is you are doing and why it is so greatly important. She may very well have something of value to contribute. I see no reason, none at all, as to why you should not be able to trust her. I think she has proven herself worthy to bear the load, don't you?"

"Yes, sir. I guess I do."

"Then carry on, Harry. And good luck. If all goes well, maybe we shall see each other again," Dumbledore said with his eyes smiling behind those half moon spectacles and he dissolved away. To Harry it felt like he was losing Professor Dumbledore all over again.

Harry blinked his eyes in his dream and felt tears welling up in them. The scene now changed again before him. Gone were the maze and the Quidditch Pitch. What replaced it now was the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts.

Harry recognized the time he was dreaming about too. It was just after he and Sirius had come up to the Hospital wing. He had recounted the events of the graveyard to Dumbledore. Sirius had accompanied him up to the Hospital Wing so Harry could get some rest after the horrific events that he'd a part of. Present in the Hospital Wing were Ron, Hermione, Madam Pomphrey, and Mrs. Weasley who were loudly demanding to see Harry.

Harry observed as Sirius, himself and Professor Dumbledore approached the doors to the Hospital Wing and his younger, injured self was ushered inside. He was able to also observe the sleeping potion as it was given to him and then watch as his friends sat down around him, to watch over him as he slept.

Harry could not help but be touched by this gesture of loyalty and friendship. He was reminded as he watched them of Dumbledore's recent words when he was talking about faith, love, and loyalty. They were demonstrating those very things in that moment.

When, Fudge demanded to see Harry he saw his friends rise to his defense. And after the commotion had ended and Dumbledore and Fudge had their parting of the ways, Harry observed Dumbledore from his dreams as he started making plans and giving orders; to Remus, to Sirius, Professor McGonagall and even to Mrs. Weasley. He felt the pain of loss even as he watched Sirius as he turned to leave.

"Sirius, no. Don't go," Harry said, his voice cracking. Harry felt again all of the emotions he'd buried in watching Cedric and Professor Dumbledore die. At seeing his parents again, however briefly. In his dreams Harry let the tears fall freely while he mourned those who died and felt the enduring love of his friends.

He could only watch as everyone left the hospital wing. A sense of foreboding as well as an overwhelming sense of guilt which, when coupled with all of the unresolved emotions of that day and everything that had happened since, Harry was overcame in that moment. He started crying even harder while those emotions were being released.

Harry cried out their names as each one of their faces passed before his eyes; "Sirius! Cedric! Professor Moody! Professor Dumbledore. No, please, don't go!"

Harry knew and understood what Dumbledore said about death being an adventure, but that didn't soften his pain. It didn't lessen his guilt. He felt that none of them should have had to die. Every one of them had died trying to help him.

Great racking sobs overtook Harry. He felt again the arms of Mrs. Weasley as they wrapped around him. He felt her arms pulling him into her chest and hugging him, crooning to him, stroking his hair and softly talking to him, as they had started to do that night when Cedric died. He continued to cry out his shame and hurt until, with a great start, he realized that the interruption came before he could really break down. Harry awoke quickly.

"Oh!" Harry said, sitting up suddenly.

That was when he realized that it wasn't Mrs. Weasley who had been holding him and comforting him, it was Ginny. Her eyes were as wet as his. Harry looked away to rub his eyes when he noticed in the dimly lit room that Hermione and Ron were also awake, and that Hermione's eyes too, had tears in them.

"Oh, Harry...," Hermione said as she reached out for him and enveloped him in a great hug. When she let go, Ginny took Harry back into her arms and held onto him again tightly.

Harry felt greatly embarrassed. Ron was watching him, his eyes grave with concern. His face was white in stark contrast with the darkened room giving him a bit of a ghostly glow.

"You gave us quite a scare there, mate. You alright?"

Harry nodded, "I guess I was dreaming,"

"You were talking in your sleep," Ginny said quietly.

Harry understood. They probably heard a lot of things that would have made them very nervous. He was still shaken up about it, himself. Seeing as how everyone was already awake, Harry, from the comfort of Ginny's arms, recounted his dreams. He watched their faces as he told them about the graveyard scene, about seeing Professor Dumbledore again, and about his conversation with him.

Through it all, they nodded and commented like they had heard it all before. He realized that they probably had. Or at least heard most of it. He knew he probably said a lot of things in his sleep. He was only tying together the loose ends

"I can't believe you talked to Professor Dumbledore," Ron said in awe.

Harry, unsure of what to say, only nodded his head slowly. It had been a very enlightening dream, of that he was sure.

Sitting up he gently freed himself from Ginny's arms. He turned a little and taking her hands in his, he looked at Ron and Hermione first then back at her.

"He said I should trust you. Professor Dumbledore said that in his opinion, that you, through your sacrifice in joining us, have proven yourself worthy of helping with the tasks ahead."

Harry looked back at his two closest friends. Hermione nodded her agreement. Ron did as well adding sagely, "I don't like it. She's underage, still got the trace on her and not to mention that she is my sister. This is your show, mate. I'll go with whatever you decide."

Even though it was quite late already, since everyone was already very wide awake, Harry slowly, patiently, and in excruciating detail, told Ginny everything. He explained to her about the Prophecy and why the Death Eaters had been sent out after it. He went on to explain it's importance and how it was that prophecy that had given Voldemort cause to mark Harry and come after him when he was a baby.

Ginny nodded her head in understanding. This was something that she knew a little bit about having been a part of the events that occurred in the Department of Mysteries. This part at least was no surprise to her. Harry went on to tell her about his scar and the significance it carried as far as his ties to Voldemort.

Lastly came the subject of the Horcruxes. Harry explained, with the help of Hermione, what a Horcrux was and the purpose behind making them. He went into detail about his lessons with Dumbledore and how they were about discovering his Horcruxes and they were responsible for his coming back after that night in Godric's Hollow when Harry was just a year old.

It was the mention of the Horcruxes, particularly Riddle's diary that most seemed to get Ginny's attention.

"So that damned diary was a Horcrux?" Ginny was aghast.

"Yes," Harry confirmed.

"And he was using it, and me, to regain his body?"

"Yes, that's what Professor Dumbledore believed. I can't see where he would have been wrong," Harry confirmed again.

Ginny was quiet for a moment and looked almost sick to her stomach. Harry could see the anger in her eyes. He couldn't blame her for feeling about them the way that she did. When Ginny spoke next, it was with great conviction.

"That's why you're not any of you going back to school, isn't it? It's because you're hunting Horcruxes?"

"Yes, that's correct. The other thing that it's important that you understand is that this will be very, very dangerous. You and I were both nearly killed by the one in the diary. Another one nearly killed Professor Dumbledore when he destroyed it. It had a curse of some kind on it. That's why his hand was black and useless all last year."

"And what about that night he died?" Ginny asked, "What happened then?"

Harry sighed heavily. He withdrew the pouch Hagrid had given him from around his neck and took from inside of it the locket that was a fake Horcrux. He opened it up and handed it to her, along with the note that had been inside it.

"It turns out that the one he and I were searching for was gone long before we got there. Whoever took it left this in it's place,"

Ginny took the proffered locket and note. She looked carefully at the locket with an expression of great distaste. Like she was holding something repulsive and offensive. However her expression turned to one of questioning concern when she read the note.

"Who is R.A.B.?" she asked.

"We have no idea," Ron answered her.

"Which also brings up the question," Hermione added, "Was this R.A.B. person successful in their task? Did they destroy the real Horcrux? These are things we need to find out,"

Harry nodded his agreement. He was looking at Ginny earnestly, like he was willing her to understand the monumental enormity of the task they had undertaken.

For all of the explaining of everything and then discussing the questions, concerns, and now the newer issues of Ginny's inclusion into the group and the problems that came with that took some time. When the group decided to take a break for a little while, Harry, Hermione, and Ron moved into the kitchen. Ginny had to use the loo.

She was only gone for a few minutes. Then, with an air of sudden excitement and discovery, Ginny could be heard calling out from the floor above; "Hey! Come here, quickly, have a look at this!"

Almost as one the other three shoved away from the old wooden table, shot out of the kitchen and went running up the stairs.

When they came upon Ginny, she was standing in front of one of the bedroom doors. This particular door had a name plate on it that said _Regulus_.

"Look!" Ginny said when they joined her. She was pointing to the little name plate on the door. It was written in a fancy golden script on black metal. Harry saw right away what Ginny was pointing at but it was Hermione who made the connection out loud.

"R.A.B.," she breathed.

"Could it really be him?" Ron asked doubtfully.

"I don't know why not," Harry said thinking the matter through, "It's no secret that the Blacks were into dark magic, remember all that stuff we cleaned out of here?"

"But was any of the Blacks a Death Eater?" Ron asked.

"Sirius told me that his brother was. This must be him..."

Hermione said the name thoughtfully, "Regulus Black...hmm..."

"Well, let's not just stand here, go on," Harry nudged.

Hermione tried the door only to find it was locked. She took out her wand and touched it to the door knob. The lock clicked and the door opened slowly.

"What happened to Sirius' brother anyway?" Ron asked.

"He got cold feet. He tried to leave the Death Eaters and they killed him for it," Harry replied thoughtfully.

Could this be it? He thought. Could it be this easy? They entered the room ready to find out. The room was clearly a bedroom of a devoted Slytherin. The walls were covered in Slytherin Emerald and Silver. The bed and windows were draped with it. The Black Family Crest of "_Toujours Pur"_ was neatly and carefully marked over the bed.

"Wow," Ron said, "He really had a lot of pride in his House, didn't he?"

Harry and Ginny were nodding slowly as they looked around the room.

"What's this?" Hermione asked. She had found a jumbled stack of newspaper clippings from the Daily Prophet, "They're all about Voldemort."

"That fits, doesn't it?" Ginny asked looking at the others in the room.

"It does," Harry said feeling even more confident that maybe they had stumbled upon R.A.B. after all.

"Harry," Ron asked, "Is it me, or was Regulus a regular slob? Look at this mess!"

Struck by Ron's comment, Harry looked around. Ron was right. There were bits of papers, books, and other accumulated things all over the room.

"He wasn't very neat, was he?" Harry agreed.

"Harry," Hermione said, "I don't think this is the mess from someone being untidy, this room looks like it's been searched."

Harry suddenly remembered the tipped over troll leg umbrella stand in the entryway downstairs. The general condition of the drawing room, even the kitchen, had that same general look. There were little bits of clutter everywhere they looked.

"You might be right," Harry replied.

"Who would do such a thing?" Ginny asked, horrified.

"Mundungus would, and he did. I caught him selling some of Sirius' stuff last year," Harry said.

"Do you think it was really him?" Ron wanted to know.

"It might have been I guess but it really could have been anyone, couldn't it? I mean Snape was in the order, wasn't he?" Ginny asked.

Harry's blood ran cold at the thought of Snape coming to this house, Sirius' house, after everything that had happened last year. He still remembered the look on his face when he killed Professor Dumbledore. When he yelled at Harry and admitted to being the Half Blood Prince.

"But the door was locked," Ron said interrupting Harry's thoughts.

"True, but if someone was here searching the room, they could easily have locked it again after they left," Hermione replied back patiently.

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have a look does it?" Ron asked indicating the room at large.

"It couldn't hurt," Ginny said looking at Harry who only nodded his agreement.

So for the next several minutes the four of them went about the task of searching Regulus' room for the locket as well as for proof that Regulus Black and R.A.B were the same person.

They looked under the bed, in the wardrobe, through the desk, dresser, and the closest. They went through the pockets and cuffs of pants and shirts, checked along shelves and in the sheets, blankets, and mattresses, and all to no avail. They turned up nothing more than more newspaper clippings, Slytherin hangings, and to Harry's great surprise, a team photo showing a Slytherin House Quidditch team.

"Which one is he?" Ginny asked as she looked at the photo.

"That one," Harry said indicating the small, slightly built young man in the center. He bore a strong resemblance to Sirius.

"He was a Seeker," Ron indicated looking over their shoulders.

"Looks like it," Harry agreed.

They finished going through Regulus' bedroom not long after that feeling satisfied that it had been thoroughly searched. There was nothing to find in that room. So it was with grim determination that they moved on to the room across the hall. The one that had belonged to Sirius.

By unspoken agreement it was Harry who opened the door and was the first to enter Sirius' bedroom. It stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the house and immediately all four of the people to walk inside it felt a lot more at home.

Banners of Gryffindor Crimson and Gold were strewn everywhere throughout the room. The Windows were covered with them, the closet, even the bed. It was clear that Sirius was making his affiliation known in the same way that Regulus had in his room.

Where the walls weren't covered in Gryffindor banners, there were pictures of motorcycles and bikini clad muggle women who stared with empty, soul-less eyes off into space. Harry's smile at seeing this and admiration of Sirius' cheek quickly turned into a grin of embarrassment when he was caught by Ginny who was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"They don't hold a candle to you," Harry told her quickly.

Ginny bit her lower lip and turned away with a half smile on her face. Hermione smiled at the interaction between them and Ron just rolled his eyes but otherwise kept quiet.

One thing that was made immediately clear upon entering the room however was that it had been gone through. There were bits of paper and torn books strewn about everywhere.

"Bloody Hell, what a mess!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry nodded with a sick feeling in his stomach. He had a hunch that they wouldn't find what they were looking for in here. However that didn't mean that he didn't want to look around anyway. This was a chance for him to see a part of Sirius he hadn't known existed. He was curious to see what they would find.

"Harry, take a look at this," Ginny said handing him a picture.

In the photo were four young people about the same age as Harry was now. He immediately recognized them. It was his dad, Sirius, Remus, and Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius stood out clearly. He had that look of coolness and arrogance that Harry had noticed the other times he'd seen a memory of Sirius at this age. He was much younger than Harry had ever seen him and seemed much happier; more carefree.

Remus Lupin had a kind of surprised smile on his face. Like he hadn't expected to be included in the photo and was added late. He too was much younger, more filled out and looked healthier. His manner of dress was shabby and worn. His robes had frayed edges, faded coloring, and even a patch or two.

Peter Pettigrew was looking up at the other three with simpering, adoring eyes. He too looked surprised to be included in the group. He was a full head shorter than the others in the picture and a little heavier. Still his smile was a happy one.

"Is that your dad?" Ginny asked pointing to the final figure in the group. He bore a strong resemblance to Harry right down to his glasses and untidy hair.

"Yes, that's him," Harry confirmed looking closer at the picture. It was nice to see his dad like this. He was happy. There was no hint of any darkness in this picture. The biggest things on his mind were Quidditch, school, and maybe girls. Harry nodded at Ginny and tucked the picture into his pocket.

"He looks a lot like you," Ginny ventured.

"So I've been told," Harry said with a smile. He was happy that he resembled his father. It was one of the few things that his father had ever been able to give him.

Continuing with the search of the room, it was Harry who found another picture. This one was ripped unceremoniously in half. With it there was a letter that had also been torn in half. He looked at the picture first. There was a baby flying around on a toy broomstick. The child zoomed gleefully in and out of the picture and was chased by a pair of legs that followed him around back and forth. Harry smiled, the baby had black hair and a wide grin and was clearly having the time of his life. He wasn't sure who it was in the picture but thought that maybe it might be him.

When he turned and looked at the letter, Harry was shocked and the color drained from his face. It was from his mother! She had written Sirius and the letter confirmed that he was indeed the baby in the picture. It read:

_Dear Padfoot,_

_Thank you, thank you, for Harry's birthday present! It was his favorite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself, I'm enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet off the ground, but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course, James thought it was so funny, he says he's going to be a great Quidditch player, but we've had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don't take our eyes off him when he gets going._

_We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda, who has always been sweet to us and who dotes on Harry. We were so sorry you couldn't come, but the Order's got to come first, and Harry's not old enough to know it's his birthday anyway! James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell- also, Dumbledore's still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much. Wormy was here last weekend, I thought he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard._

_Bathilda drops in most days, she's a fascinating old thing with the most amazing stories about Dumbledore, I'm not sure he'd be pleased if he knew! I don't know how much to believe, actually, because it seems incredible that Dumbledore_

And that was the end of the letter. Harry sat there, numb, on Sirius' bed staring at the parchment and photograph in his slightly shaking hands.

His mother had written to Sirius to tell him about his, Harry's, first birthday. This was written not long before they died. Harry felt a cold surge run down his arms and through his fingers as he sat breathing. He swallowed hard and tried casually to wipe his eyes. They had become wet as he read. He thought about the letter and the significance of it. Then Ginny sat down next to him and gently placed her arm around his shoulders.

"Hey, you alright?" She asked quietly. There was concern in her eyes. Ron and Hermione stopped their search to turn and look at him.

"She wrote this," Harry said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Who did, Harry?"

"My mother. She wrote to Sirius to tell him about my first birthday. Sirius bought me my first broomstick," Harry offered her the picture and the letter.

Ginny carefully took the items and spent a moment looking at the picture. Harry watched her quietly. She gave a tender smile at the picture of the baby zooming in and out of the photograph.

Turning her attention to the letter, she took a moment to read it. He watched her eyes as they moved back and forth across the page. The look of tenderness she had while looking at the picture was magnified while she read. Then as she finished she handed them back to Harry and he could see the affection Ginny carried for him in her eyes.

"May I see?" Hermione asked quietly. Harry nodded and passed the items to her.

She looked first at the picture and then she too read the letter. Like Ginny, Hermione's face became a picture of tenderness as she read, then concern. Ron, who was reading over her shoulder asked, "I wonder what she meant by that bit about Dumbledore?"

"I don't know," Harry answered in a monotone, "But this seems to fit in with what Rita Skeeter is writing about, at least according to your Aunt anyway."

"What do you mean?" Ron inquired.

Harry stood up and began searching the room again. He explained as he was searching about the conversation he'd had with Elphias Doge and Auntie Muriel about Professor Dumbledore. The others stared at him as he spent a little more time than necessary looking under the bed.

"So Dumbledore's sister was a squib?" Ron asked.

"I didn't know he was from Godric's Hollow," Hermione mused, thinking.

"I didn't either," Harry said quietly.

In all the time that they had spent together, during all of their conversations, Dumbledore had never mentioned anything to him about being from Godric's Hollow or having family there. Was it on purpose? Or did Professor Dumbledore just not think it was important enough to mention it? And Dumbledore had known his parents! What about that? He'd had the Invisibility Cloak at the time that his dad had died! Didn't that mean anything?

Finally Harry stood up again. The room had been thoroughly searched now. There was no sign of not only the locket, but the other half of either the letter or the picture. Harry raised these concerns with the others.

"Do you think that whoever searched the house thought that they might be significant?" Ron wondered.

"I don't know," Harry admitted.

"Well this proves one thing anyway..." Hermione said confidently.

"What's that?" Ginny asked.

"That whomever it was that searched this house, it clearly wasn't Mundungus Fletcher. There's no way to make a profit off of either the letter or the picture so they wouldn't have had any worth to him," Hermione finished.

From Sirius' bedroom they expanded their search to the entire house. They dedicated their efforts to look for the locket that matched the one in Harry's pocket. Hermione decided, and Harry agreed, it was unlikely that whoever had ripped the pictures would have left them anywhere within the house.

It was in the room with the Black family tree that it was all but confirmed that Regulus was the person they were looking for. His name, unlike that of his brother Sirius, was still present and prominent on the tree. It seemed like for as anxious as his mother was to obliterate any trace of Sirius from the tree, the branch for Regulus was made to stand out all the more. Hermione gave a smug grin at her suspicions being confirmed.

Harry, who was beginning to get a bit of a headache from all of the thinking, searching, explaining, and lost sleep sighed. Then he felt his stomach rumbling.

"Is anyone hungry?" Harry asked the room at large.

"I reckon I am," Ron affirmed.

"Me too," Ginny sighed.

"I guess we break for something to eat then," Hermione said.

They left the room with the Black family tree and went on into the kitchen. Hermione and Ginny immediately started prowling around the cupboards looking for something to eat. Ron and Harry sat down heavily at the table and sighed. Neither of them wanted to admit defeat.

"You know," Ron said, "I was thinking. Remember when we were all cleaning and making this place livable before fifth year?"

Harry nodded so Ron went on, "Well, remember how every time we threw something away, how that nutter house elf kept trying to steal it all back?"

Hermione turned and looked at Ron reproachfully, "Are you referring to Kreacher, that horribly mistreated house elf?"

"Yeah him," Ron nodded.

"What about him?" Hermione asked glaring at Ron.

"Don't you think it's possible that maybe he grabbed it? That locket, if it was here at all, would have been something that would be sure to catch his eye, don't you think?"

Harry was watching the interaction between Hermione and Ron and was considering what Ron had said. He knew that Hermione was defensive about the elf, but Harry thought that Ron might be on to something.

However before he could say anything, there came a muffled crack, then the sound of the front door opening and closing quickly.

"Hello?" called a familiar voice.

Almost as one the four of them grabbed their wands and headed into the hall from the kitchen. As they were opening the door, Mad-Eye's voice could be heard saying harshly; _"Severus Snape?"_

They pushed open the kitchen door to see the horrific figure of Professor Dumbledore rising up out of the dust, it's finger raising accusingly.

"It was not we who killed you, Albus." Said a second, equally familiar voice.

Adding to the chaos of the moment, the curtains covering the portrait of Mrs. Black flew open in a great cloud of dust, "Mudbloods! Filth! Stains of dishonor in my house!"

One of the figures took out their wand and gave a casual flick which caused the curtains to close thereby silencing the angry woman in the portrait.

"DON'T MOVE!" Harry ordered.

Two figures stepped into the light where they could more clearly be seen.

"Bill!" Ron and Ginny shouted together starting forward.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione shrieked in surprise.

Both men carefully raised their hands with their wands inside them. Ron and Ginny started to move forward in a rush but Harry held them back with reflexes born of years of dodging and darting around his abusive cousin, "Hold it!" He told them.

Then to the two figures in the entryway Harry said, "How do we know you are who you appear to be?"

Bill nodded at Harry and said, "At the Tri-Wizard cup, it was my mother, Molly Weasley, and myself who came to represent your family for the third task. You showed us around the grounds and we ate lunch with you. That is where I first met Fleur DeLacour, who just recently became my wife."

Professor Lupin stepped forward and added, "I am Remus John Lupin. I was your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in your third year. It was I who taught you Harry how to produce the Patronus charm, and your Patronus takes the form of a stag. And, I am a werewolf, affectionately known as Mooney. Your dad was Prongs, and Sirius, who owned this house before you, was known as Padfoot."

Harry slowly lowered his wand, "Sorry,"

"You had to check, Harry. Quite understandable," Lupin said nodding.

"Which by the way is something you three should have been more quick to think of," Bill added gravely as he nodded towards the others.

Ron and Ginny ran forward to hug their brother. Lupin came forward to shake hands with Harry and Hermione. Then he said gravely; "Maybe we should move this into the kitchen? We have a lot to talk about."


	5. A bit of help

**A/N-** Things in this story are really starting to move now. More of the differences from that one little choice of Ginny's will start to come to light. I would love to hear from you who read this story, either by PM or by review, and to know your thoughts on it. This has definitely been a difficult, though delightful, task to undertake. I want to thank you in advance for taking some of your time to read it.

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 5**

_Ginny_ could hardly believe her eyes. Her eldest brother was standing there before her. While it was clear he was relieved to see them, he was also angry. Very angry. She recognized immediately the glint in his eye, though it had a more feral cast now. Probably something to do with those werewolf scratches he sustained, Ginny thought.

The two men seemed to be healthy though maybe a little harried. Their robes were dusty and even Bill's were a bit frayed in some places. Their faces were drawn and their eyes constantly scanned the room as if searching for trouble.

Still, he had his arm around her and was holding her tightly. She knew his anger wouldn't hold out for very long. It never did, even when she really should have it coming. Ginny gave Bill a tentative smile as they all walked into the kitchen. She was as anxious to hear about what was going on as anyone. More so, she hadn't seen her Dad's patronus, but from what Hermione had said about it, things weren't shaping up all that well in the wizarding world.

Once they entered the kitchen and were seated around the table, Ginny reached out and took Harry's hand and at once she felt reassured. Harry tightened his grip on her hand momentarily. Ginny took that as a positive sign.

"So what happened? What's going on?" Ron asked at once, not waiting for any preamble.

Professor Lupin looked at Bill who looked back at the four young adults gathered around the old, beat up table. When Bill spoke, it was with a careful tone. Like he was trying not to cause any undue alarm. Ginny couldn't help but wonder why he was being so cautious.

"After Kingsley's Patronus disappeared, it was sheer pandemonium. Total chaos. The Death Eaters had broken through the protective spells and enchantments that we'd put in place to guard the Burrow. That much I think you know," Bill said looking around the table for confirmation. Everyone nodded their heads slowly.

Ginny was watching her eldest brother very carefully. The set of his shoulders, the tense look in his eyes, the way he flexed his jaw, there was something bothering him.

"What is it Bill?" she asked.

Bill sighed, "Everyone scattered, but not everyone got away. Several people were caught and taken in for questioning. Mum, Dad, Nymphadora, and a few others were all taken into the Ministry,"

At the shocked sound of the voices from around the table, Bill had to hold up his hand to try and calm them. It was Lupin who said firmly and loudly enough to carry over the noise, "They're alright! They're alright!"

Once things had quieted down again, Bill resumed his story.

"Remus is correct, they're alright. They're a little battered and bruised, but otherwise they'll be fine,"

Ron looked like he wanted to be sick. His face was white and he was breathing hard. Hermione had her face hidden behind her hands, tears were in her eyes. She reached out and put a reassuring hand on Ron's back.

"What did they want with Mum and Dad?" Ginny asked fearfully.

"The same thing that they wanted from Nymphadora and everyone else they took: Information on Harry. They were very direct about it too. Where he is, what is he doing? They didn't like being told that no one knew where you were. There's something else too..." Remus said looking sidelong at Bill.

"Before we get to that," Bill said looking back at Remus meaningfully and then at the group, "Tell us first what happened to you when you left, and how did _you_," Bill said looking soberly at Ginny, "Come to be with them?"

Ginny swallowed hard. So far they had avoided the subject of how she had come to join them after her outburst last night. Even then they had only really just barely touched on the subject. Everyone was staring at her now expectantly. Apparently it was her turn to tell how she came to be a part of the group. She felt Harry gently squeeze her hand.

"It was just before the wedding and everything happened, I was up in Mom's room getting ready," Ginny began quietly, "I was watching the boys play usher and getting people seated. I saw Harry down there with them. I couldn't help but remember what this last summer was like and that's when I decided that I just couldn't go through that again,"

Getting up at this point, Ginny went through the process of making tea by hand. While she worked at making the tea she went on with her explanations. Her voice was quiet, almost monotone.

"You and Fleur had said your vows and everyone was dancing. I decided that I wanted a dance with Harry. I didn't know when you lot were leaving but I wanted that dance. I was trying to make my way over to where you were and I noticed you sitting there talking with Auntie Muriel and old Elphias Doge. So that I could get over to you I left the marquis and worked my way around. I was just about to try and rescue you from that conversation you were having when the Patronus came that announced that the Ministry had fallen to the Death Eaters. When you and Hermione got up and started looking for Ron, I realized what was about to happen and that you were about to leave. I really didn't want to be left behind this time." Ginny finished looking at the floor.

When she looked up, there was defiance in her eyes. She looked first at Bill, then Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus. "I'm not sorry I did it though and I'm not going back,"

"Ginny..." Ron began

"Yes you are," Harry said. Ginny's head rocked back as if she'd been slapped. Hearing that from him wasn't expected after his explanations last night. It was the last thing she'd expected.

"No, she can't." Bill said quietly. Remus sighed and looked at the floor.

"What?" Ron asked in shock.

"Why?" Asked Harry, looking at the two older men expectantly.

"How could you?" Ginny asked looking at Harry, "After everything we talked about? How could you do that to me, Harry?"

"Ginny...I...look..." Harry began but before he could go on Remus went on.

"Bill is right, Harry. For better or worse, Ginny is with you now. I understand that this puts a damper on your plans and I'm sorry for that, but believe me when I tell you it really is for the best."

Remus laid a copy of the Daily Prophet on the table where it made a soft slap as the parchment came in contact with the wood. It was the only sound in the room.

Ginny and Harry were looking intently at each other. Everyone else in the room was watching them as if they expect the two to get into some kind of a row. Ginny had never felt so betrayed. Not by Harry anyway. She felt tears coming to her eyes again. How could he? The git, he knew how she felt about him! He had explained the situation to her. She thought that he'd accepted her as part of the group now! Now, all of a sudden at the first chance here he was trying to get rid of her! Did he really want her out of the way so badly? What was he getting at?

"How?" Harry asked angrily, "How is that for the best?"

Slowly and deliberately, Bill gestured towards the copy of the Daily Prophet on the table. Harry's photo was on the front page. It was not his best photograph, it was from when he was in his fifth year in school. Just prior to his trial before the Wizengamot for using magic underage. Across the front of the picture in big, bold letters were the words "Wanted For Questioning in the Death of Albus Dumbledore."

Ron snickered at the sight of it, "You've got to be joking, right?"

"Unfortunately not, Ron," Lupin said quietly. He opened up the front page and pointed to another section. Hermione picked it up and read:

_Wanted for Questioning in the Death of Albus Dumbledore, the deceased Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is none other than Mr. Harry J. Potter, 17, of Little Whinging, Surrey. Mr. Potter is known to have been with Professor Dumbledore in the last moments before his death due to a fall from the top of one of the towers at the school. There is evidence which suggests that the Killing Curse, of which Mr. Potter is the only known survivor, was used on Professor Dumbledore immediately prior to his fall from the tower... _

"Yeah, evidence give by Snape!" Ron exclaimed loudly, he was immediately shushed by the others around the table.

_Also wanted for questioning in regards to the whereabouts of Mr. Potter are Miss Hermione J. Granger, a known friend and close confidante of Potter and a Muggle-born (see pg 3 for more on Muggle-born Registration Commission), and Miss Ginerva M. Weasley, sister to known friend and confidante of Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, and who is purported to be dating Potter at the time of this writing. _

_Anyone who thinks that they might know of Potter's whereabouts are requested to report their knowledge immediately to the Ministry of Magic. Do not try to apprehend Potter as he is believed to be a danger to those around him._

The room was silent as Hermione finished. Everyone stared at the paper as if it was something foul.

"Why aren't I wanted for questioning?" Ron asked.

"You are, however right now the Ministry thinks you're at home with Spattergroit. Since it is highly contagious they are waiting to question you," Bill said quietly.

"The Burrow was searched very thoroughly. They found the ghoul. However, since no one but you and the members of the Order knew that Harry was there, and that it is actually a ghoul and not you in your bedroom, right now they are under the impression that they can question you once you are no longer contagious," Remus said.

The tea Ginny had made, which was momentarily forgotten, was now being poured. Ginny needed something to do with her hands while her mind raced. This wasn't going anything like she had planned. How could Harry betray her like that? How could he want to? It wasn't like she didn't accept the gravity of the situation. Far from it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Bill's next statement, "Harry, we know you want to protect Ginny and that's very admirable. The problem is that," He pointed to the place on the page where Ginny's name was printed.

"It won't take them very long to figure out that she's with you if they haven't already. As long as they don't know where you are, they don't know where she is. That is her best protection. Especially given the statements in that article. They know Ginny has a close connection to you. Don't you think that they would go to any lengths to get what they can from her? Would you put her through that?"

Ginny, who had been watching her brother speak and feeling a little fearful at what she was hearing, turned to Harry. Harry looked from Bill to her, she couldn't fathom the look in his emerald green eyes. There was defiance there but also something else. Was it defeat? Ginny couldn't be sure.

"No, I couldn't do that to her," Harry said quietly, "I don't even like to think about it."

"Harry, you may not have planned for Ginny to join you," Remus said taking a sip of his tea, "But whether you planned for it or not, she's here. So now that means that you make new plans. I don't suppose you can talk about what it is that you're supposed to be doing?"

"No," Harry said, "I'm sorry, but no. Professor Dumbledore was very clear about that. He left this to me. He only said that I could involve Hermione and Ron. He was very clear about that."

Ginny wondered why Harry didn't mention that he'd told Ginny about everything. At the request of Dumbledore even. Why wouldn't he say anything about that?

Remus looked at Ginny for a moment and back at Harry. His grey eyes seemed to scrutinize everything. It was clear what he was thinking, he seemed to think that Ginny must already know about it all, or most of it anyway. But he didn't say anything about that. Instead he sighed.

"Harry, whatever it is that you're planning, you need to plan it carefully. With Scrimgeour gone now the Ministry has largely fallen into the hands of the Death Eaters. This article proves that. You need to tread carefully."

"Are things really that bad do you think?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, and they're going to get worse. Read page three in that paper if you want to see what I mean," Remus said.

Hermione picked up the paper and began reading again:

_"The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called Muggle-borns __the better to understand how they came to posses magical secrets. Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when where Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding Ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-Born is likely to have obtained that magical power by theft or force. The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle Registration Commission." _

Immediately below the article there was a list of names printed. The list was of known Muggle-born witches and wizards. Hermione's name was on that list.

Ginny looked at Hermione and felt like she wanted to be sick. Ron didn't look like he felt any better. He and Hermione joined hands tightly under the table. Ginny only noticed it because Hermione's hands were shaking just a bit.

"This can't happen," Ron stated harshly.

"It is happening though," Bill sighed quietly, running his hand through his long hair. He looked like he felt the same way they did about it.

"People are being rounded up even now," Lupin added.

"What's happening to those that are being rounded up?" Harry asked carefully.

"From what we know, if they cannot successfully prove their Wizarding ancestry then they're accused of stealing their magic and must surrender their wand and suffer the punishment," Bill replied.

"Punishment?" Ginny asked, "For being Muggle-born? How do they work that out? What about squibs? Or children who show that they have magical powers when they're really young? How is a baby supposed to get their powers by force?"

"That's the real rub isn't it?" Harry said gently.

"How so?" Ron asked.

"Because the Ministry isn't afraid of children that age. What they're afraid of is Witches and Wizards who would stand against them. It's well known that the Death Eaters favor purebloods. If they round up the Muggle-borns and put them away it makes it that much harder for people to stand against them. That's what this is all about, it isn't it? I'd reckon that's also why they're enacting this as fast as they are too." Harry said.

"We think that's part of it, yes," Lupin agreed nodding his head.

"Which also means that you lot need to be very careful in what you're doing," Bill admonished them.

"You sound like Mad-Eye talking about constant vigilance," Ginny observed looking at her brother.

"It would seem that in these times his advice would be well met. We all need to be careful, especially you four. I cannot emphasize that enough," This came from Bill who looked at each of them in turn. His eyes stopping lastly on his brother and sister.

"Why? What else is happening? Where are Fred and George? You haven't mentioned them, or Charlie either," Ron asked fearfully.

"Or any of the others that were there. What about Luna and her dad?" Hermione added, tears coming to her eyes.

"We think the Lovegoods got away okay. We've not heard that they were caught anyway. Their home looks abandoned from a distance. We've not been there to find out for sure," Lupin replied.

"And Fred, George, and Charlie?" Ginny pressed fearfully. She had a cold lump of fear forming in her stomach.

Bill looked like this was the one question that had come up that he didn't want to answer, "We don't know. We think that they're probably alright and it's likely that they're in hiding. The consensus is that if the Ministry had them that Dad would have heard about it. Maybe using them as a way to coerce information about Harry out of them,"

"What about the Death Eaters?" Ron worried,

"It's not likely that the Death Eaters would have them and not announce it in some way. Their shop only has a sign on it stating that they're closed for a family wedding. There's no evidence that anyone has been in there since before the wedding yesterday. We think that if the Death Eaters had them, that they wouldn't waste any time making it known by wrecking the shop. Like they did with Olivander when he was taken," Lupin explained.

"Olivander was taken?" Ginny asked.

"Yes he was, by Death Eaters. They weren't quiet about it either. His shop is a wreck," Lupin answered. Bill sat quietly next to him staring at the fire in the kitchen hearth, his voice void of expression.

"So no one has heard from them?" Hermione asked, concern etched in her voice.

"No, not yet, and Mum and Dad are getting worried," Bill confirmed.

"We were rather hoping to find them with you," Remus remarked looking at Harry again.

"No, only Ginny has joined us," Harry said looking at the paper on the table.

"What would they want with Olivander?" Ginny asked the group at large.

"It's my wand I reckon. Voldemort's was destroyed when his came into contact with mine. I think he'd want more information about that. What happened? What could he do to stop it from happening again and all that,"

"Harry, we've been over this," Remus began patiently, but Bill interrupted them.

"So, now that you know what happened after you left the Burrow, what happened to you. Did you come straight here? How did you know that there wasn't someone already here?"

"We didn't," Harry answered him looking at Hermione.

"When we left the wedding we Apparated to London, Tottenham Court Road specifically. That's where we found out that Ginny had joined us," Hermione went on.

"How did you wind up here then?" Bill asked.

"We ducked into a pub and were attacked by Death Eaters," Ron said.

"WHAT?" Remus and Bill shouted together as one. Their faces matched the surprised and shocked tone of their voices.

Harry explained everything in more detail. He started with them Apparating to the middle of the busy muggle street, and ended with them going into the little cafe to decide what to do now that they were on their own and that Ginny had joined them.

Ginny listened carefully to Harry's explanation of things. He never once placed any blame on her or anyone else for anything that had happened. He simply laid out the events as they happened and only gave the facts.

"We even thought that maybe the trace could still be on me, or that maybe Ginny used magic. She says she didn't though," Harry finished.

"There's no way the trace could still be on you, Harry. It broke the moment you turned seventeen. That's wizarding law and they Ministry hadn't fallen by then. Even if it had, that's one law, one charm rather, that they would have a very hard time breaking," Bill said confidently. He turned his attention to Ginny.

"I didn't use any magic," she said defiantly, her chin coming up and a fiery gleam in her eye.

"Are you sure? That's the only way the Death Eaters could track you. _You_ still have the trace," Bill was skeptical.

"No, I didn't even touch my wand until we were changing clothes in that alley and then I put it away again. I've not touched it since. This lot was very clear about that," Ginny scowled.

"They have every right to be, Ginny. Their lives depend on this every bit as much as yours does," Remus explained gently.

"I have not used any magic since yesterday. I am absolutely positive of that." Ginny stated plainly.

"This is not good," Bill said, deep in thought, "If what you're saying is true, it means that they might have some way to track you that we've not thought of."

"Were there any Death Eaters out there when you got here?" Hermione asked reasonably.

"Not that we saw. However if they are using a Disillusionment charm we wouldn't see them anyway, which is why we chose to apparate very carefully right to the top step. That way if they are watching this place they wouldn't be able to see us,"

"Why would they be watching here?" Harry asked.

"Harry, right now the Death Eaters want you very badly. They are looking for you everywhere. Any place that has any connection with you at all is being watched," Remus informed him.

"Still, that doesn't explain how they knew to find us in that cafe, does it?" Ron asked.

"No, it doesn't. And that is going to be something important to figure out too. If they're tracking you, Harry, then no where will be safe for you," Bill frowned thoughtfully.

"What about Ginny?" Harry asked.

"What about her?" Ron said looking carefully at his friend.

"Look, we all know that I don't think Ginny should be going. I'm not sorry about that. There's been too much death and stuff already. But if she is going to be with us, it would be really useful if she could use magic without calling the Death Eaters to us. Is there any way that the trace could be broken?"

Ginny felt the twinge at hearing Harry's rejection of her again. She was just about to make a retort to his comment when the reality of what he was asking struck her. Break the trace? It was a great idea but could it be done? She looked at her eldest brother hopefully.

"Break the trace? Harry, do you have any idea how many witches and wizards have tried?" Bill asked.

"But how many of those witches and wizards were adults? Grown up and out of school and not just a few blokes trying to break the rules?" Ron asked smiling at Harry's idea.

"It would be rather helpful," Hermione admitted thoughtfully.

"Helpful?" Ginny was incredulous, "It would be bloody brilliant!"

"I don't think it can be done," Remus said, "I know that James and Sirius gave it a go when we were at school, they didn't get very far..."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"As I said they didn't get very far. They tried a few counter curses, aging potions, stuff like that. I know that when Dumbledore found out that he seemed to think it was humorous,"

"Humorous?" Harry asked.

Remus went into more detail about the story, "We were huddled in a quiet girl's bathroom, I think it was in our forth year. No one ever went in there because it was haunted you see..."

"Moaning Myrtle!" Harry and Ron exclaimed together excitedly, "We know that bathroom!"

"I'm not sure I want to know how my brother knows about a haunted girls loo," Bill smiled.

"...Anyway," Remus went on, "We'd been meeting there off and on for about a month when Dumbledore suddenly showed up. He didn't seem at all surprised to find us there, he just merely asked what it was that we were doing in the girls lavatory,"

"Did you tell him?" Ginny wanted to know.

"I didn't say anything to him, I was too intimidated. James and Sirius had no such reservations however. They not only told him, they showed him everything that they had done so far. It was something to watch. Professor Dumbledore didn't reprimand them or rebuke them. On the contrary, he seemed quite interested in what they were doing and in the progress that they had made. He had this smile on his face and a gleam in his eye, like he was proud of their efforts but knew that they would do little good, it was like he was sharing in the fun without encouraging them..."

"I've had that look directed at me a time or two," Harry remembered.

"For doing things that you shouldn't have been in the first place," Hermione commented severely.

"You know, I've often wondered about that," Ron said thoughtfully.

"Wondered about what?" Bill wanted to know.

"You would think, with all of the things that we've done and with all of the trouble we've gotten in over the years, that we would have been expelled a long time ago..."

"You mean it isn't obvious?" Hermione asked.

"What?" Harry interjected, his thoughts wandering down a similar path to Ron's.

"I think he was testing you, Harry. Testing you merit, testing your ingenuity and your skills. He above anyone else would have known what you would face eventually. Don't you think that Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted to give you every opportunity to prepare for it?"

"You may be on to something, Hermione. It would certainly explain a lot of the free reign that you three had while in school," Remus added.

"So, where does that leave things now?" Bill asked Harry directly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're here, you have Ginny with you which is something you didn't plan for, what are you going to do now?"

"I think, at least for the next few days anyway, that maybe we should stay here and plan," Harry said looking at his two best friends who were both slowly nodding.

"I think that may be a good idea," Remus agreed, "May I suggest something?"

"What's that?" Harry asked him.

"While you're planning out what your next move will be, and I do agree that you should do that, however, speaking as your former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I also think that you should spend some time learning and perfecting new offensive and defensive spells. There is much you already know, but there is even more that you don't. You can be sure that the Death Eaters will be planning and they will be doing everything they can to find you as well. It wouldn't hurt to add to what you know so that when you meet them, as surely you will, that you will be as prepared for that meeting as you can be. If I can be of any help...?" Remus advised.

"Can you help me do magic non-verbally?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Or send a Patronus that can speak?" Hermione added.

"Or find a way to break the Trace?" Ginny asked, at this everyone else nodded.

"Ron?" Remus asked, "Do you have anything that you would like to add?"

"How to find food when you're on the run, I'm hungry!"

Everyone started laughing at this.

When the group retired to the living room to learn and practice new magic, Ginny remained in the kitchen. It was on the pretense of finding something to eat for everyone. Really it was because she wanted time to think.

She had felt betrayed by Harry and his actions when Bill and Remus had shown up, almost abandoned. It was a feeling she didn't like. Now she started really thinking about that and those thoughts she was having before her brother and old D.A.D.A. teacher showed up. She was thinking about her and Harry.

Harry didn't want her around for this little foray that they were going on. Ginny was sure that at least some part of it had to do with Harry being overprotective of her, just like he was with everyone else. Except there was last night and those dreams.

She had been only lying there with her eyes shut when Harry had first started talking in his sleep. At first it had startled her when he started speaking aloud. Then Ginny had realized that he was asleep and dreaming. After that came the horror of discovering what it was he was dreaming about.

The way he had cried in his sleep at the loss of Cedric. Then again at the loss of Sirius and his family. Ginny's heart had melted at seeing and hearing this. She had propped herself up on one arm when he really broke down. At that point Ginny did the only thing she could think of to do, she pulled him into her arms to comfort him. She'd held him tight as he let go of some of his pain.

When he woke up he was startled enough to pull away and look around at her. Then he had quickly let her take him back into her arms again. For Ginny those few moments were a mixture of horror, sorrow, shared grief, and even, she admitted guiltily, a little joy at being able to hold him again.

While Harry had never come right out and told Ginny that he loved her, she thought that he probably did. He either didn't fully realize it, or didn't want to admit it. Could that be why he was so reluctant to have her come with them? Was that why he was so deathly afraid of something happening to her? Ginny reckoned that it might at least be a little food for thought. Ginny finished putting together the meager dinner that she was working on of moldy bread, and old cheese. She then joined the group in the drawing room.

That afternoon Remus and Bill only stayed for an extra couple of hours as they taught the group more about offensive and defensive magic and how to use it. The first thing that they worked on was how to send a Patronus with a message. Harry, who was easily the best of the students at casting the Patronus, was also the first to cast one that held a message.

"The wand movement is a little different with this one," Remus had said.

"How so?" Hermione asked anxiously. She had never liked coming in second in anything, even with things such as this.

"It's more of a flick of the wand in the direction you want the Patronus to go in. Then with that flick of the wand you have to both have your happy memory firmly in your mind along with your message. The incantation is _Verbosa Patronum_," Remus advised.

They repeated the incantation a few times. Then they began practicing. At first it was just to cast the Patronus itself. Once they started mastering that, Ginny volunteered to go upstairs and be the recipient of the message. She would wait for it in the loo.

Soon enough there was a Patronus, a stag, that flashed through the door of the bathroom and filled the room with its bright blue light. Then Harry's voice emanated from the ethereal form saying; "Hi Ginny, this is really...weird..." before it dissolved away into nothing.

Hermione's otter Patronus appeared soon afterwards. It zipped around the tiny little room, bouncing around like it couldn't hold still. Her voice came from it saying, "Hello Ginny, thank you for helping us..." before it too disappeared.

Ginny's eyes had gotten used to the gloom of the room again before Ron's Jack Russell Terrier appeared. It walked through the door of the bathroom and sat down like it was expecting a treat. It looked at Ginny before Ron's voice said to her, "Er...thanks for helping, you can come downstairs now..." and it was gone.

Ginny blinked her eyes until she could see again and then she got up and left the loo to go back downstairs. When she got there the group was seated on the furniture and Harry had summoned a couple of chairs from the kitchen so everyone could have a place to sit. They were currently in a discussion about the magic that they had just learned.

"How far can you send a message?" Ron was asking when Ginny walked into the room.

"There's not really any set limitation that I know of. I would imagine as far as you might be able to apparate, give or take," Remus speculated.

"And you have to be careful of the messages you send. A Patronus won't give more than just a few sentences at a time. That's why it's used more for sending a message ahead to a group you're going to meet, or maybe to summon help or as Dad used his to warn people away," Bill added.

"The good news is the place where the Patronus came from cannot be tracked. You could send a message and never have it be traced back here. The bad news is you have no idea who might be on the other end to hear the message your sending. Like any other piece of magic, there are good points and bad points about it," Remus finished.

"If I were you lot though, I'd be particularly careful in sending messages to anyone except each other unless the circumstances are extreme," Bill Advised.

"Why is that?" Ginny was curious at her brother's warning and the tone he used to give it.

"Because we're being watched. If a Death Eater is in the house and a message from one of you suddenly comes that could really pose a problem. Someone could end up getting hurt."

On hearing this everyone in the group nodded. Ginny got up and got the bread and cheese she'd put together as a meal for everyone. She wanted to take a minute to think things through. To absorb everything that she'd heard since her brother had come today.

Things were really happening. The Death Eaters were quickly taking control of everything. It sounded just as bad, if not worse, than the stories she and Ron had been told growing up of when You-Know-Who was in power before. Before Harry, at one year of age, had taken away his power because of the love his mother had had for him.

That too was something the really resonated with Ginny. That selfless act of love that had cost his mother her life and had given Harry his. Now the hopes of everyone were pinned to this one man, and this according to that prophecy which she and Luna and Neville had helped steal from the Department of Mysteries. Too bad that they couldn't be here too. Except that Ginny knew that it would never happen. Everyone's reaction to her being with them was proof enough of that.

Ginny brought the simple meal in for everyone and served it to them. That was when Lupin showed them another useful bit of magic. While you couldn't conjure food out of nowhere, you could use magic to create more food out of what was already there. Hermione had commented that this had something to do with Gamp's laws of Magic. Ginny didn't care about that. What she did care about, along with everyone else in the room, especially Ron, was that instead of just a small chunk of break and bit of cheese, with a wave of his wand and a simple incantation to go with it, suddenly their plates were full.

As Lupin and Bill got up to leave, they promised that they would come back as soon as they could. They also promised that when they did return, they would bring more news and more food. Ginny reminded them about trying to find a way to help them break the trace on them, and they agreed. However their hearts didn't seem to be into it.


	6. Plans and Gifts

**A/N-** This chapter has been nothing short of a challenge to write. I hope you like it as much I enjoyed writing it.

I would love to hear from you! Your reviews and thoughts are very helpful and enlightening. Please let me know what you think. I can promise you each review or PM will be responded to, and I am very open to discussion.

Thanks for taking some of your time to read my story!

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright. Like you didn't know this already, right?

**Chapter 6**

_Harry_ was laying in his makeshift bed that evening thinking about the events of the day. There had been many surprises to be sure. The sudden arrival of Bill and Remus had come as something of a shock to them but not nearly as much as the news they'd brought or the things they'd learned.

Fred, George, and Charlie were missing. The Lovegoods likely were too though no one knew for sure. Harry himself was wanted in connection with the death of Professor Dumbledore. Lastly there was that stupid Muggle-Born Registration Commission. He was as livid about hearing that as Ron and Hermione had been. The Death Eaters were certainly making a mess of things in the Wizarding World; there could be no doubt about that.

The snores coming from the bed next to him stirred him from his thoughts. Ron, who had quietly lie awake long into the night just as he was now, had finally fallen asleep. Harry smiled at his best mate. Ron had agreed with him about trying to find somewhere safe for Ginny. Not that they'd had a chance to try and not that it would have done any good. Harry knew that now.

The things that Remus and Bill had said about the safest place for Ginny was being with Harry were not lost on him. Harry just wished that there was some other way. He knew full well that he'd really hurt her feelings by wanting this and pushing for it. It would be a long time before he could forget the look of betrayal and hurt on her face when he'd first suggested that she go with Remus and Bill when they left.

Harry rolled over and closed his eyes hard. Sleep was eluding him tonight, and he knew full well why. His mind was occupied with his thoughts and worries for Ginny.

Didn't she know that the only reason he wanted her out of the way was because he couldn't stand to see her get hurt? Couldn't she understand that? Couldn't she see the reasons behind it? He cared for her. A lot. He cared for her in ways that went far beyond her just being Ron's sister...but he didn't have time for that now. He didn't have time for caring or for feelings of any kind. He had to find those Horcruxes.

Once that search was over, maybe, if by some small possible miracle if he could defeat Voldemort, then he could have time for feelings. Right now though feelings like the kind he carried for Ginny were a distraction. Just a dangerous distraction to what had to be done. And Harry didn't need any more distractions just now.

Harry sighed heavily. Who was he trying to fool? Dumbledore himself had told him to trust her. He had always been a champion of love and claimed that a lot of power could be derived from it. If the truth were to be told, Harry knew that he owed it to Ginny to let her try. She had taken a great chance in joining them the way she did.

The question was as simple as it was aggravating: What would she be able to do now that she was with them? Without some way to break the trace, there was little that she could do without tipping their enemies to where they were hiding.

Thoughts of trying to find some way to break the trace on Ginny and finding a way for her to be able to help them now that she was with them occupied Harry's mind enough that he was able to get some sleep. Fitful sleep though it was.

It was very early when Harry's eyes opened again. He was tired but knew it would do little good to try and go back to sleep. He was awake now. Quietly he got out of bed and put his shirt on. Once he got downstairs, Harry made to go into the kitchen and make some tea. There was light coming from under the door.

Harry stopped at the door and listened. There was no sound to be heard except the occasional crackle coming from the fireplace. Cautiously, quietly, Harry pushed the door open just enough to see inside the room. He looked around carefully. The fire in the fireplace was not an old one. It was burning brightly and a freshly added log was just starting to catch.

A movement of shadow from by the stove caught his attention. When he looked over in that direction he saw a head of long, bright red hair standing there leaning against the stove itself. There was steam coming from behind the person there. Harry immediately recognized Ginny standing there with her back to him holding a hot cup of tea. He must not have been the only one who didn't get much sleep.

Debating about whether or not to leave her in peace with her thoughts, Harry decided against it. They would have to talk sooner or later. Better to do it now when it was just the two of them. Harry pushed the door open and stepped into the warm kitchen.

When Ginny didn't turn, Harry knew that she must be lost in her own thoughts. As much as he wanted a cup of that tea himself, he decided to let her have the time she needed to herself. He sat down silently in a chair at the table to wait until she noticed him. As it turned out she already knew he was there.

"What is it Harry?" Ginny asked. There was some hostility to her tone. Harry was taken aback by it. She'd never spoken to him this way before.

"Ginny...I..." Harry stammered.

"You what?" She asked, turning now to face him.

Harry saw that her eyes were glassy, like she'd been crying. Her cheeks were flushed and her ears had turned red. Harry realized that Ginny was really not happy with him.

"I...um...ah..." Harry tried to go on. He was feeling like he was in really deep water and didn't know which way to swim.

"Well? Spit it out!" Ginny ordered. Her eyes now held a hint of fire in them.

Harry felt color rising to his own cheeks. He'd never really quarreled with Ginny before. He'd seen her upset, sure. He'd even seen her good and mad a time or two, usually at Ron or one of her other brothers. This was the first time her ire had been directed at him alone.

When he failed to say anything, Ginny pushed roughly past him. "Excuse me, Harry. I know when I must be in the way,"

"Ginny, wait. Please," Harry called after her.

She was gone. He heard her going up the stairs and debated going after her. Then he thought better of it. The state she was in, she'd have Ron and Hermione up in no time and the last thing Harry wanted was more witnesses to what was going on between them. Instead he sat down in the kitchen Ginny had just left. He spent the morning there lost in thought until Hermione came down to join him just a few short hours later.

Later in the day when everyone was up, the group all gathered around the table in the kitchen. They needed to make some plans. Ginny gave no indication that she was acknowledging Harry in any way.

"What we need to do," Hermione said by way of beginning, "is to make a plan of things."

"What do you mean?" Ron wanted to know.

"For example, we should list out the Horcruxes we know," Hermione answered him as she pulled a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink out of her beaded bag.

"We should also make a list of places we can look for them," Harry added.

"Like where?" Ron asked.

"Hogwarts could be one place," Harry replied thoughtfully, "It's a place that always meant a lot to Voldemort. I think he might try to hide something there,"

Hermione looked at Harry skeptically but nodded her head, "That's one place to try,"

"What about where he grew up?" Ron asked.

"That orphanage was torn down, remember?" Harry answered his best friend.

He caught Hermione looking at him shrewdly. She then directed her gaze to Ginny who sat as far from Harry at the table as she could get. Harry realized that she was probably putting things together.

"Ginny," Hermione asked deliberately, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Nope," Ginny said curtly. Her eyes flicked over to Harry and away again in the same instant.

Looking from Ginny to Hermione, Harry realized that Hermione was trying to get Ginny to open up and talk a little bit. He really wished she wouldn't. The last thing that Harry wanted at the moment was to have to explain to everyone why Ginny was so mad at him. It didn't help that he didn't fully understand it himself.

"Where were the Horcruxes found again?" Ron asked thoughtfully.

"I got that diary from Malfoy's dad," Ginny ventured quietly.

"Right, and then the fake locket was found in that cave by the sea," Hermione added making a note.

"The ring was found in the floor of the old Marvolo place," Harry contributed.

"And we know he keeps that snake with him most of the time," finished Ron.

"So that leaves the real locket and that cup of Hufflepuff's that we know of for sure," Hermione finished.

"Plus one that we have to figure out," Harry sighed.

"What do you think it could be?" Hermione asked, looking sidelong at Ginny who was staring off into nothing.

"I don't know," Harry admitted, "Though Dumbledore said it would likely be something belonging to one of the school's founding members. The only two members that we know of who have not had a Horcrux made from something belonging to them is Ravenclaw and Gryffindor,"

Hermione busied herself making notes on her parchment. The room was silent while her quill scratched over the sheet, pausing every now and again as she dipped it in ink.

"I think the first order of business here should be figuring out how to destroy a Horcrux. That way when we find one we'll know how to get rid of it." She said.

"I destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with a Basilisk fang," Harry ventured, "And Professor Dumbledore used Gryffindor's sword to destroy Slytherin's ring,"

"Could the sword be a Horcrux?" Ron asked.

Shaking her head vigorously, Hermione answered; "No, that's impossible."

Curious, Ron asked why.

"Because it's goblin made," Hermione answered, glancing again at Ginny.

"So what does that have to do with it?"

"Because Ron, goblin armor only absorbs that which makes it stronger. When Harry used the sword to kill the Basilisk in second year, it would have absorbed some of the Basilisk's venom. Basilisk venom is one of the few things that can be used to destroy a Horcrux. If the sword was a Horcrux, then it would have been destroyed when Harry killed the Basilisk. Instead..."

"It wasn't, which is why old Dumbledore could use it to destroy the ring!" Ron finished proudly.

Hermione nodded at him with a smile. Ron's returning smile was infectious. Even Ginny's face registered something resembling a smile until she looked at Harry and it disappeared again as if it was never there. Harry saw her smile and felt hopeful. He was going to smile back at her until she looked at him. He was a little hurt to see the speed with which her face changed.

"So, where does that leave us?" Ron asked in an effort to break the building tension in the room.

Looking down at her parchment, Hermione read over it and sighed.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I think you may be right Harry. I think we may need to go to Hogwarts."

"Why is that?" Harry asked curious to know why Hermione seemed to be changing her mind so suddenly.

"Because even if there isn't a Horcrux there, we know that there are Basilisk fangs in the Chamber of Secrets. It wouldn't surprise me if Dumbledore's office still has the Sword of Gryffindor too," Hermione admitted thoughtfully.

"And, since we'll be in the school anyway, we can look to see if there's a Horcrux there too! Hermione, that's brilliant!" Harry exclaimed. He reached over and hugged her. She returned the gesture.

"So at least now we know where we're going, when do we go?" asked Ron happily.

"I think it should be before school starts," Harry said.

Hermione readily agreed; "If things really are as bad as what Bill and Professor Lupin are saying, you're right. We have no idea what things out there in the world will be like once school begins,"

The remainder of the morning was spent going over the best ways to approach getting into the school. They didn't even consider walking into the grounds of Hogwarts through the main gate. School wasn't in session. The grounds would be closed.

Ron suggested the Shrieking Shack. It was an idea that Harry quickly put down; "Snape knows about the Shrieking Shack. He used the tunnel into the school grounds to track us when we first discovered Sirius back in third year, remember?."

At Ron's downcast expression, Hermione added comfortingly; "It would have been a good idea otherwise,"

Harry smiled at the two of them, wondering if he and Ginny would ever be like that again someday. Too bad he couldn't just buy her a box of Chocolates and say he was sorry, he thought. Then Harry's mind froze.

"Ron, you're bloody brilliant you are!" Harry shouted suddenly.

Everyone jumped at Harry's sudden outburst.

"What? Me? What are you getting at, Harry?" Ron asked as he recovered from the sudden surprise.

"The Shrieking Shack tunnel might not be an option," Harry exclaimed, "But that doesn't mean that the tunnel into Honeyduke's Sweet Shop isn't!"

Ron and Hermione's eyes widened in understanding at the same time.

"Harry, that's it! We can use the tunnel from Honeydukes to get into the school," Hermione said happily.

She bent low over her parchment and started writing furiously again. She was making notes and itemizing lists. While she did this, Ginny stood up.

"I guess I should go find something to make for lunch," Ginny said to no one in particular.

Harry watched Ginny as she stood up and began putting together their lunch. He was aware of Hermione's eyes on him and glanced over at her. Not able to read her expression and know what she was thinking, Harry decided it was best to change the subject.

"I reckon," Harry began as his mind raced for something to talk about, "That after lunch we should start working on learning new magic, like Remus suggested."

"Good idea!" Ron agreed a little too enthusiastically, "What should we learn first?"

Hermione only looked at Harry for another moment before she got out another piece of parchment and began making notes on it. While she was writing she suggested, "I think the first thing we should do is work on using magic non-verbally."

Harry rolled his eyes. He had never been good at this. It was one of Snape's favorite things to point out as far as Harry's magical capabilities were concerned. He mentioned this to Hermione.

"That's true, under Professor Snape you were never very good at using non-verbal magic. Except that didn't you say that you were able to use it while under the effects of the Felix Felicis potion?"

"Yeah, I remember that I felt like not only could I do it, but that any problems I had with it in the past would be easily overcome. So what?" Harry asked irritably.

"Harry, don't you see? You can't get over you're dislike of Professor Snape enough to put aside your feelings for him and learn something from him,"

"What do you mean, Hermione?" Harry was getting more and more irritated with this line of discussion.

Patiently, Hermione explained; "It's like when you were supposed to be learning Occlumency. You were never able to get the hang of that either, were you? I think it's the same thing with learning to use magic without words. Now that Professor Snape is out of the picture, I reckon you'll pick it up quickly."

"It's worth a shot mate. What have you got to lose?" Encouraged Ron with a nod.

"Fine, we'll try practicing magic without words. Happy?" Harry gave in.

"Not as happy as you will be when it works," Hermione responded.

Shaking his head at Harry and Hermione, Ron asked; "What's next then?"

"I was thinking about that. My invisibility cloak won't hide us all anymore. What about learning Disillusionment Charms?" asked Harry thoughtfully.

"Good idea," Hermione wrote the idea down.

"What about learning to become an Animagus?"

"That takes a really long time, Ron. I'm sure it took Sirius, Harry's dad, and Professor Lupin quite a while to get it right," Hermione argued.

"What about a potion to become an animal for a little while? Like a few hours? That could be really helpful," pushed back Ron.

"I'll look at the potions book and see what there is there. We could transfigure each other into animals though. Remember when Professor Moody turned Malfoy into a Ferret?" Hermione reminisced.

"That was brilliant! Malfoy never looked better," Chortled Ron.

Ginny quietly started setting the lunch in front of them. Tinned kippers and some crackers. Smiling her thanks at Ginny, Hermione waved her wand and the one tin of kippers and half a box of crackers multiplied greatly.

"I hope that Bill comes back with some food soon," Ron said as he helped himself to a tin of fish and a roll of crackers to eat them with.

Watching Ginny as she took her share of the lunch, Harry had the impression that she would rather be anywhere else now than stuck with him as a fugitive. Suddenly not feeling very hungry or like being a part of the group, he stood up and left the room to go upstairs. This time however instead of going to the room he shared with Ron, Harry went up to the attic. He wanted to be by himself for awhile.

It was some time later when Hermione found him. Harry was sitting with his back propped up against the wall, looking out of the window in front of him. He was wide awake but his eyes weren't seeing the clouds or the birds that occasionally flitted past. They were staring into his memories.

When Harry didn't acknowledge her right away, Hermione took it upon herself to sit down next to him. She waited for a few minutes before reaching out and taking his hand.

"Hello, Harry," she said quietly.

"Hey," Harry replied. His voice was so quiet it was nearly unintelligible.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

Harry knew full well that Hermione knew what was going on. She may not know it all, but she knew enough. Those things that she didn't know, she could probably guess at. However she wanted to hear it from him.

"Ginny," was all he said. It was enough. Hermione only nodded, completely unsurprised.

"I thought as much,"

"I don't know what to do," added Harry. His voice was still not much more than a quiet whisper.

"Have you apologized to her?"

"I tried, she didn't make it very easy,"

"Harry, it isn't her job to make apologizing easy. She's upset right now. You know why, don't you?"

"Kind of, I reckon. I don't think she liked it that I tried to get Bill and Remus to take her with them,"

"You're right about that, she didn't like that at all. I wonder though if you know why that is?" Hermione asked as she leaned her head on Harry's shoulder.

Frowning as his thoughts deepened, Harry finally looked away from the window and the sky outside. His eyes fell upon the hand he held in his lap. At that moment he wished fervently that it was Ginny with him now and not Hermione. Then he let his mind wander over what it was he thought that Hermione was suggesting.

"She thinks I want to be rid of her," he sighed.

"More or less, yes. She took an awful risk joining us. While it wasn't planned, she's still here. You seemed to accept that. We all thought so, especially after you explained everything to her. That's why, when Bill and Remus showed up, it felt to her like you were pushing her out the door the first chance you got," Hermione explained thoughtfully.

"So she thinks that I don't think that she's capable of taking care of herself? That she'll only be in the way?"

"I think that sums it up pretty well, yes."

Sighing heavily, Harry looked out the window again, "That's not it though,"

"What do you mean, Harry?" she asked. Harry had the distinct impression she that Hermione knew what it was that was bothering him. She wanted to hear him say it.

"Hermione..."

"What is it, Harry?"

"The reason I wanted her to go with them is because I can't stand the thought of seeing her get hurt,"

"And you don't think that she feels the same way about you? You don't think that the thought of something happening to you while we were away wasn't more than she felt she could take?"

"I know that, it's just..."

"Just what, Harry?" Hermione pushed.

"It's just that...that...it's just that I love her," Harry said finally. He looked down in his lap and closed his eyes.

He'd done it. Harry had admitted his love for Ginny. He realized that he'd felt that way for some time. It was only just recently that he was becoming more aware of it.

Hermione sniffed quietly next to Harry. He was surprised to look up and over at her and see tears in her eyes. She smiled embarrassedly as she wiped them away.

"I knew it," Hermione said quietly. Then going on, "Don't you think you should tell her?"

"I doubt it would do any good now," Harry said. He felt a lump in his chest at the thought of this.

"Why do you think that?"

"You saw the way she was acting downstairs, Hermione. She hates me!"

"No, she doesn't hate you, Harry. I thought you were smarter than that. Yes, she's been hurt by you and she's mad at you. You need to talk to her, Harry. Tell her how you feel; make things right."

"What about Ron?" Harry asked. It was a feeble excuse and he knew it. By the look Hermione was giving him she did too.

"What about him?"

"He's Ginny's brother,"

"Yes he is. He's also fine with it. You know that, Harry. He was fine with it last year, and I know he'll be fine with it now," Hermione smiled at him.

Harry knew his argument was lost and so he abandoned it. Hermione was right, just like always. She sat next to him as he stewed over his thoughts and feelings a little more.

When they were just about to get up and go back downstairs, Ron's Jack Russell Patronus came through the door and landed in front of them. Harry and Hermione looked at it in surprise. A cold feeling washed through Harry. Then the Patronus spoke in Ron's voice: "Get down here quick; it sounds like someone may have just apparated outside the front door,"

Instantly on guard, Harry was on his feet and moving out the door with his wand in his hand before Hermione had finished standing up. He flew down the stairs and onto the floor where Ron stood with his own wand raised and pointed tentatively towards the door. Ginny too had her wand out and was standing back a little from her brother. Her eyes were fearful as she looked at Harry and Hermione coming down the stairs.

"Where are they?" Harry asked, clutching a stitch in his side.

"No one has come in yet," Ginny replied cautiously.

"What?" Harry looked at Ron who nodded confirmation.

"So how do you know that someone Apparated outside the door?" Hermione asked.

"You could hear that cracking sound someone makes when they Apparate; it was right outside the door!" Ron replied defensively.

Looking at Ron and Ginny, Harry came to a decision; "We need to open the door,"

"WHAT?" Ginny was shocked.

"Are you mental?" Ron was looking at Harry as if he'd gone round the twist.

Ignoring them and the startled and fearful exclamations, Harry ran upstairs to the room he shared with Ron. He rummaged through his blankets until he found his Invisibility Cloak. Hastily he made his way back downstairs again. The others watched him in outraged silence as he quickly put his cloak on.

"Harry wait!" Hermione came forward, "What if it's a trap? What if this is what they want?"

"That's why I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak. The rest of you get back!" Harry ordered his friends.

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked.

"I'm just going to open the door and have a look. If anyone is watching the place they won't see me. If it's a trap, then they should have tried to open the door by now, but I'm not taking any chance, that's why I grabbed my Invisibility Cloak," Harry explained as he moved towards the door.

The drapes covering Sirius' mother flew open as Harry passed in front of her,

"Filth! Brats! Mud..."

"Langlock," Harry said calmly as he directed his wand at the painting of the Black Family matriarch.

Instantly she was silent. She held up her fist and waved it at Harry who waved his wand and shut the drapes again. Harry sighed wearily. He'd have to find a way to remove or permanently silence the portrait if they were going to stay here very long.

"Be careful, Harry!" Hermione called.

"I will," Harry said glancing back at his friends.

He waved them back when he got to the door. Once they were out of sight, Harry held his wand steady, ready to use it in an instant. He reached out and touched the door handle. Something about all this felt very weird. Why apparate right outside the door if you weren't coming in? Had the Death Eaters been given the location of Grimmauld Place and were now laying in wait for Harry to take the bait of their trap?

Tentatively and with great care, Harry opened the door to Grimmauld Place just the slightest bit. Then he stepped back and got down low allowing the door to swing open on its own. He figured if anyone was there, they wouldn't be aiming down. They would aim for chest level.

When the door did open up enough to see outside, what Harry saw was not a person or multiple people. It was a stack of boxes. On the bottom was an old trunk, very much like the one he used for school. On top of it were two wooden crates that were big enough that he'd have a hard time handling them alone. On top of that were two smaller boxes, a folded copy of the Daily Prophet, and lastly, sitting right on top with his name written clearly on it in a script that Harry vaguely recognized, was a letter.

"Hang on, what's this?" Harry asked no one in particular. He stood up and cautiously approached the stack of boxes.

"Harry?" Hermione called nervously from where she was hidden, "Is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure, wait a moment," Harry called back over his shoulder.

Looking away from the stack of boxes, Harry looked out into the surrounding neighborhood. He was surprised to see two Death Eaters standing some distance away. He was even more surprised that they didn't seem to be taking any precautions about hiding their appearance. Muggle passersby gave the two dark robed figures a wide berth as they walked by them. What's more they seemed to be arguing about something. They were moving and gesturing agitatedly.

Not sure what to make of them for the moment, Harry returned his attention to the boxes in front of him. He used his wand to prod the envelope and the folded copy of the Daily Prophet. Nothing happened.

"What do you make of it?" Ron asked from beside him.

Harry jumped in surprise. He'd never heard Ron's approach.

"This or them?" Harry asked when he'd caught his breath again. He motioned to the two Death Eaters outside and across the street.

"When did they show up?" Ron asked.

"I have no idea, but they don't seem to happy do they?"

The two young men stood and stared for a moment at the Death Eaters. It was clear that they didn't have a clue that Harry and Ron were standing there, or they'd have started slinging spells and hexes. Harry judged it safe to remove his Invisibility Cloak. He set it to one side, just inside the door on a coat tree.

"Is everything alright?" Hermione asked as she too approached. Ginny was silently walking behind her, eyeing the boxes and stuff apprehensively.

"I think so," Harry nodded. He reached forward to pick up the envelope but Hermione's hand held his arm back.

"Wait!" She said, "You don't know if it's a trap,"

"I don't think it is, Hermione,"

"Exactly how do you know that?" she argued back.

"Easy," Harry said as he pointed across the street, "Them. If it was a trap, I don't think they'd be standing there like that. Not right out in the open. I think they may have heard it when this stuff came from wherever it was sent from. They can't see it to know if it's a person or not, or the door open to know if someone is coming or going..."

Ginny eyed the two Death Eaters and her eyes grew fearful and wide. Harry watched her and forgetting for the moment that she wasn't talking to him, asked; "Are you alright?"

Returning his gaze without hostility for the moment, she nodded in reply.

"They can't see you, you know," Harry told her.

"I know," Ginny replied quietly, looking again at the Death Eaters.

"Well, let's not just stand here. Let's get this stuff inside!" Ron said. He too seemed to be nervous about seeing the Death Eaters right outside of the place where they were staying.

"Alright then, let's," Harry agreed. He handed Hermione the letter and the copy of the Daily Prophet.

Hermione took the proffered items and looked with more than a little trepidation at the trunk, two crates, and two boxes that remained. Harry nodded at Ron and they cautiously moved forward. Reaching out and taking the first box on top, Harry was amazed to find that it wasn't as heavy as he thought. While it had some heft to it, it really wasn't that bad at all. Not more than twenty pounds if that.

Handing the box to Ron, Harry reached forward and picked up the next box. It too was lighter than he'd expected. It weighed roughly the same as the first one he'd touched.

"Why don't we hand these to Ginny and Hermione, then we can take the other ones," Harry nodded towards Hermione as he said this.

Ron passed the first of the smaller boxes to her, then took the other from Harry to hand to Ginny. The girls looked at the boxes as if they were afraid of them. Like they might contain something foul or loathsome.

"Take those into the kitchen please," Harry encouraged them.

Without a sound the two young women turned and carried their respective boxes down the corridor and up the stairs. Ron and Harry then turned towards the other two. Harry reached out and grabbed the first of the wooden crates.

When it moved, it make a clinking sound as if it contained glass of some kind. It was very heavy. Ron, noting that Harry was having difficulty moving the crate on his own, came forward and together they lifted the crate and set it down just inside the door. They repeated the process for the second crate as well. Harry noted that this one was considerably heavier, but made no clinking sounds.

They set down the second wooden crate next to the first and turned their attention towards the large trunk. That's when Ron did a surprised double take.

"Bloody Hell! That trunk!" Ron exclaimed in equal parts fear and excitement, "It's my Dad's!"

Surprised, Harry wheeled around and looked at the trunk. There, on the lid or top of the trunk, stenciled on a metal plate, were the initials A. L. W. The trunk was old, battered and showed its age. The coloring on it was faded but there were some fresh looking marks on the surface.

Coming forward excitedly, Ron reached out to try and take one end of the trunk. It barely moved. He swore darkly under his breath as he rubbed his arm and shoulder. Harry smiled to himself and moved forward to help his friend.

Together they both heaved and pulled and pushed. They used all their strength and only succeeded in moving the trunk a few centimeters. Tired from all the wasted effort with so little return and anxious about standing in plain view of the Death Eaters for so long, Harry pulled out his wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" He said with a swish and a flick. The trunk abruptly lifted off the ground.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Ron asked grumpily.

Using his wand to direct the trunk, Harry moved it into the hall as Ron shut the door behind them. As soon as the latch clicked, a figure arose from the dust and moved menacingly forward towards them. Both Harry and Ron's ability to speak were temporarily paralyzed. Then, suddenly, as if a light switch had been thrown, their tongues loosened.

"SEVERUS SNAPE?" The figure growled in Professor Moody's gravely rasp.

"We didn't kill you!" Harry said calmly. The figure vanished in a great 'POOF!'

"Forgot about that part," Ron said as he recovered from the shock of the figure and having his voice made useless.

"So did I, come on,"

They placed the wooden crates back on top of the trunk and again Harry levitated it. This time nothing happened as they moved back into Grimmauld Place, climbed the stairs, and entered the kitchen. Here they found Hermione and Ginny waiting for them. The boxes the women had carried in were sitting on the table. Hermione still held the copy of the daily prophet and the letter addressed to Harry.

After having set the trunk and crates down on the floor just inside the door of the kitchen, Harry turned to Hermione. She was looking at everything carefully. Then she saw that Harry was watching her. Smiling at him, Hermione held out the letter and the copy of the Prophet.

Harry took the letter and folded the copy of the Daily Prophet under one arm. Then, carefully and slowly, he opened the letter. There were several pages, but Harry's eyes were only on the page on top.

"It's from Remus!" Harry exclaimed right away. He went on to read the letter.

_'To the New Marauders, _

_We hope that things are going well. I apologize for not being able to return in person. Things are such that we cannot afford the risk of exposing you by returning to visit as we had promised. We are being watched more closely now than ever before._

_Since we cannot join you now and it is unknown when we might be able to visit next, we are sending what supplies to you we can to aid you on your journey. You will find food in the trunk, enough to last you for some time if you are judicious with it. The crates contain books, potions, and tools that you may find useful. Breaking that charm we discussed last is going to be of paramount importance. It will not be easy, but we have found and marked some things that you may find useful in this task._

_The boxes contain some clothes, blankets, and things you might need to be able to go on. For the newest among you we expect this to be particularly useful._

_To you all, we send our hope, our faith, and our love. You are the best hope we have and it in you we place our trust. _

_Moony'_

Harry stared down at the letter for a long moment after he finished reading. Things must be really bad if Remus and Bill weren't planning on returning. Harry was staring hard at the letter, trying to read more into it than was written there. That was when he remembered the other pages. He right away recognized the hurried script of Mrs. Weasley. The pages were short letters addressed to each of them, though not by name. Like Remus she had refrained from using their names, and instead came up with other, easily recognizable names for each one of them.

Harry passed these letters to the people they were intended for. It took him several reluctant moments to look at his own. He was hesitant to read it, not feeling exactly sure what it would say. Finally he looked down at his letter from Mrs. Weasley and read:

_"Dear Prongs,_

_As I'm sure you're aware, the hopes of the Wizarding World are upon your shoulders. This monumental task before you is one that, from very early on, Professor Dumbledore himself stated, only you can see to its end. _

_Please know that as you set out to accomplish this task that there are those who are both with you now and those who are not who would see you come home. You have been like a son to us, and it is as a son that we worry about you. We will help you in whatever way you can. _

_Since you have others who love you who are with you, I will only say that you should look out for each other. Trust each other and help each other. You have no way of knowing who you can trust outside of each other. _

_When the time comes for all this to end, I would see all of my children come home to me. Even those that I may not have had the pleasure of knowing since birth._

_Take care of yourselves and each other!"_

The letter was short and sweet. Harry had to turn away from the others and wipe his eyes when he was finished reading. He looked up to see that Ron and Ginny both were simply staring at their letters. Their faces were both white and for the moment devoid of expression.

Hermione's eyes however met Harry's. Hers too were wet. She swallowed hard and then carefully refolded her letter. She then tucked it into a pocket of her robes. When she cleared her throat Ron and Ginny blinked their eyes and looked around the room. First at each other, then at Hermione, then lastly at Harry. Their letters were forgotten at the moment as everyone in the room looked silently at each other.

Finally Harry broke the silence; "We should look inside these boxes,"

When the boxes were empty and the trunk devoid of its contents, Harry had to admit that the Order came through for them in fine style. They had received a box with clothes, mostly for Ginny, but some for them as well. The other box held cloaks, gloves, thick woolen scarves, mittens, and socks, as well as blankets. This is what was in the two smallest boxes.

The wooden crates contained several items that Harry thought would be really useful. There was a full potion making kit with a variety of extra ingredients, a sneak-o-scope, some Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, a supply of Polyjuice Potion, some Veritaserum, and a few potions to use for illnesses and injuries.

The other crate contained books, and many of them. This pleased Hermione immensely. She rushed forward and started going through them with exuberance. There were books on charms, potions, hexes, jinxes, and other, more complicated kinds of magic. There were tomes on recognizing when magic had been used on a person, place, or thing, how to detect the use of magic when it wasn't certain, and even books on identifying plants and animals of various kinds, both magical and non magical. Best of all were books that had been marked with ideas about how they might go about breaking The Trace that Ginny still carried.

The part that Ron liked best of all was the trunk and what was inside it. It had been charmed with an extension charm, so it held much more than it looked like it might from the outside. There were breads, rolls, biscuits, puddings, fruits, vegetables, and wrapped packages of meats, mostly ham, corned beef, pastrami, bacon, and sausages, but some other meats as well. There were tins of other foods; fish, tomatoes, and other things that Harry never really got a chance to look at. Best of all, they had teas, flagons of pumpkin juice, milk, orange juice, mead, and to Harry's great joy, Butterbeer.

That afternoon in the kitchen felt largely like Christmas morning. For the time being Harry and Ginny were laughing and smiling at each other like they would have at any other time. Their differences seemed to be momentarily forgotten. Ron and Hermione were holding hands as Hermione first read through the books and then started organizing everything. Ginny got up to help her. She smiled at Harry as she did. Harry couldn't help but wonder if she was putting it all behind her now, or if she was just enjoying a happy moment.

For now at least, all was well.


	7. Venturing Out

**A/N-** I would love to hear from you! Your reviews and thoughts are very helpful and enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time to read this story, please let me know what you think of it. Do you like it? Not your cup of tea? I want to know!

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**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 7**

That evening found Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all sitting quietly in the drawing room together. After the gifts they'd received from the members of the Order, everyone was in a good mood. However even that mood was tempered by the current situation of things.

Ron was just peeking out of the curtains again, when Hermione exasperatedly told him for what seemed like the hundredth time;

"Ron, I don't think they're going anywhere,"

"I know that," Ron said defensively as he let the curtains fall back into place and turned around.

"Then why do you keep looking out there?" Ginny asked him.

"Maybe it's because I'm not so keen on sleeping so close to the people who want to kill me," Ron fired back.

"Until they come knocking, I wouldn't worry," Hermione told him with a patient smile.

Harry was listening to this exchange but not paying much attention to it. His thoughts were elsewhere. His mind was drifting about and kept going back to the conversation he'd had earlier with Hermione about his feelings for Ginny. To her credit, Hermione had not said anything further to him about it. He was grateful for that. That didn't stop her, however, from giving him knowing looks every now and again.

Figuring he knew what she was thinking, Harry was avoiding eye contact with her. He would figure out a way to talk to Ginny. He had to if she was going to be with them. The right time just had to present itself. Which is just the problem, Harry thought, when is that going to happen?

Ginny's attitude towards Harry was somewhat improved over her earlier distance. She seemed cordial if not overly friendly. She would at least talk to him now anyway. He'd also caught her looking at him more than once with a look that seemed to be equal parts curiosity and frustration. Harry suspected that while he was alone upstairs, Hermione must have said something to her. He had no proof to back that thought up of course, but it wouldn't have surprised him.

Now it was just a matter of talking to Ginny and telling her why he'd tried to get Remus and Bill to take her with them even after Harry had explained everything. He looked over at Ginny again. She was watching the interaction between Hermione and Ron with an amused look. He wanted so much to be able to talk to her, but had no idea how to broach the subject of his feelings. He was just trying to think of a way that he might approach her, and coming up completely blank, when Hermione broke into his train of thought.

"Harry? Harry!"

"Huh? I'm sorry, what is it?" Harry looked up and towards where Ron and Hermione sat together on the sofa. They were looking back at him, Hermione's face showing some concern.

"You alright?" Hermione asked.

"Fine, I was just...thinking..."

"What about?" Ron was curious.

"Just things," Harry muttered glancing at Ginny. She was looking at him like the others were, eyes curious.

Ron seemed oblivious to what Harry was talking about but the smug look on Hermione's face suggested that she knew. She was also kind enough to change the subject.

"So, Harry, I was just talking to Ron and we were wondering about how we're going to work out our trip to Hogwarts." Hermione said.

"I think...I think that we need to scout it out first. From what Remus and Bill were saying, things are changing out there quickly. The last thing we need is to show up in Hogsmeade and have a Death Eater welcoming party waiting for us,"

"So what do you suggest?" Ron asked getting into the conversation now. He was sitting forward and looking at Harry attentively.

"I think that one of us is going to have to chance going into Hogsmeade. Wearing the Invisibility Cloak one of us can get into Hogsmeade, lay low, maybe find out what's happening up at the school..." Harry speculated.

"One of you?" Ginny looked skeptical.

"There's no sense in us all going. It's too dangerous and if it's only one of us then that leaves the rest to be able to help out if something goes wrong,"

"Harry," Hermione said slowly, "I think that Ginny is right on this. If someone is going to go, then it should be two of us. It's safer that way,"

Even though he wanted to argue his point, Harry didn't. With Ginny just speaking to him again he didn't want to upset her if he didn't have to. Instead he just nodded.

"What are you going to be looking for?" Ginny asked.

"First off is to see if there are any Death Eaters around. Then, if the coast is clear, we'll be trying to find out how best to get into Honeydukes so we can take the tunnel into the school," Harry answered her directly, chancing a smile.

Nodding her head in understanding and with a ghost of a smile of her own, Ginny went on, "When did you plan on going?"

"School starts September first, so it will have to be before then," Hermione advised.

Ron and Harry both nodded their agreement.

"Which means that the sooner we go the better, wouldn't it? I mean if we go now, then isn't it less likely that there will be anyone there to worry about?" Ron interjected.

"True, but how soon? We'll need time to prepare," Hermione argued.

"I say we take a look tomorrow and make plans to go in a week. That gives us time to prepare and still be able to go early enough to hopefully avoid meeting anyone along the way that we want to avoid..." Harry froze for a moment. His eyes seeming to be looking at something far away, "Merlin's Beard!" Harry shouted standing up and running out of the room.

Everyone else in the room jumped at Harry's sudden exclamation and movement.

"Harry? What is it? What's wrong?" An alarmed Hermione asked as she got up and followed after him.

"Harry, are you okay?" Ginny called.

Harry didn't hear them; he was running up the stairs to the room he shared with Ron. He grabbed up the little bag moleskin Hagrid had given him for his birthday. He wrenched it open and removed its contents lying them out haphazardly on his bed. There was the fragment of mirror he'd received from Sirius, the torn letter from his mother, the photograph that went with it, the knife that he'd been given that could open any door, and finally; "Aha!"

"What the blazes are you going on about?" Ron asked from the door. His face was a mask of alarm. Ginny and Hermione were standing in the doorway behind him looking equally upset.

"This!" Harry held up the map with a grin.

"What's that?" Ginny asked as she glared at Harry.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Hermione exclaimed realizing what it was Harry held in his hand.

"Harry, that's bloody brilliant!" Ron said as he reluctantly shook his head, relief flooding his voice; "But if you ever do that again, I swear..."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I just realized that if we're planning on getting into Hogwarts, then this map might by the key to getting in and out of the successfully," Harry was leaving the room now with the map in his hand. Ron and the two girls went with him.

They got back downstairs and Harry led the way into the kitchen. Once there he carefully spread the Marauder's Map out on the table. The group gathered around the table with him.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said giving the incantation that activated the map.

"What are you looking for?" Ron asked as the map appeared on the parchment. The corridors slowly appeared along with the rooms and even the nearby grounds extending out to the greenhouses, the school gardens, Hagrid's hut, and the boat-house. Harry watched carefully as the details filled themselves in completely.

"I want to see who is in the castle. This should also give us a good idea as to which corridors are going to be open and which ones to avoid,"

"It's too bad you don't have two of those," Ginny mentioned quietly.

"Why is that?" Harry asked looking up at her.

Her eyes were glued to the map but it was clear from her face that she was bothered by something, "I'm sure when you go, you'll want to take this with you, but it would also be nice to have a way to watch you while you're gone..."

"Ginny! That's a great idea! Then we won't be dependant upon just this one map," Hermione exclaimed loudly as she gave Ginny a spontaneous hug.

"What are you thinking? Make another map?" Ron confirmed.

"Yes! The idea is brilliant! That way if you run into trouble, we know where to go to help. Also if we get separated then we can use the maps to find each other," Hermione was getting more and more excited at the idea of having more than one map.

Harry was looking at Hermione carefully, "Can it be done do you think?"

"I don't know. We don't know what magic was involved in making the map to begin with, so I'm not sure what I'll need to do to copy it," she admitted.

"We could ask Remus, he'd know!" Ron looked around for agreement.

"That would work if he was here. I don't know if we can count on that," Hermione answered him as she looked at the map.

Ginny was looking at the map herself. She was studying it carefully before she frowned, "Where is the Chamber of Secrets?"

"The Chamber wouldn't be on here; I doubt that when this map was made, anyone knew where it was," Harry replied.

"Okay then, how about the Room of Requirement? Where is that?"

Hermione answered this one, "The Chamber of Secrets, or the entry to it rather, is in the second floor girl's bathroom. That is on here, see...?" Hermione pointed it out on the map. Ginny nodded and Hermione went on, "...and we know that the Room of Requirement is on the seventh floor, but I reckon that it doesn't show on the map because the room changes with the needs of whoever is using it. That's why Harry never saw Malfoy on the map when he was using that room last year."

They all four of them poured over the map carefully, looking over every inch of it for some time. Trying to see who was at the school.

"There's Filch!" Ron stabbed at the map.

Sure enough, there was the caretaker pacing in his office. His tiny little footsteps going back and forth. Mrs. Norris, his cat and the most hated animal at the school, was in his office with him. Their labels hovered near their footprints.

"And there's Hagrid!" Ginny said as she pointed towards Hagrid's hut.

They could see Hagrid's footprints along with his nametag sitting stationary in his hut with his great boarhound, Fang. Harry had a moment of reminiscence as he thought back to all the time that he, Ron, and Hermione had spent in that little hut there on the school grounds. The rock cakes that could break your teeth. The treacle fudge that would glue your mouth shut, and Fang. One of the first dogs Harry had ever met who loved to rest his head and drool messily over Harry's robes.

The pang of nostalgia went on as Harry remembered the times that they'd gone to see Hagrid, the classes he'd taught, the kindness he'd shown. Hagrid was the person who had come to get Harry from that rock in the sea when his letters to him were not being received, scaring his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley in the process.

It was Hagrid who introduced Harry to the Wizarding World and Hagrid who had been his first friend in it. He still had the album of photos that Hagrid had given him. The loveable half giant who looked fearsome but whom Harry knew to be very gentle. Right now, Harry missed his friend.

After several long minutes of looking over the entire map, it was soon clear that no one else was currently at the school. Whether that was due to the teachers just being away for the evening, or because they had not yet reported for duty wasn't clear. Harry suspected, and Hermione agreed, that the school's population would grow as the beginning of fall term approached.

A group of names concentrated in one room suddenly got Harry's attention. There were so many footprints there and name tags floating near them, that it was a moment before Harry realized what it was that he was looking at.

"It's the house elves!" Harry smiled in recognition.

"Where?" Hermione wanted to know.

"There, see?" Harry pointed.

Everyone looked where Harry's finger was directed. The names on the map kept changing around and moving within the kitchens on the lowermost floor of the castle. Harry recognized the names of the three elves he knew: Dobby, Winky, and his own house elf, Kreacher. He pointed them out to his friends.

"How barbaric!" Hermione exclaimed when she saw them.

"What's barbaric?" Ron wondered looking confused.

"That even when everyone else is out of school for the summer holiday, that the house elves are forced to work!" Hermione was outraged.

"But that's what House Elves do, they work!" Ron was still confused though Harry felt privately that Ron should have known better about this by now.

"Ronald Weasley," Hermione began, her chest puffing up and a gleam in her eye; Harry and Ginny exchanged knowing looks. This was shaping up to be a royal row between the two friends.

"If you think that those House Elves don't deserve..."

"That's not what I'm saying at all!" Ron exclaimed, his ears turning red.

"Then what, pray tell, are you saying?" Hermione's voice was taking on a nasty tone.

"I'm just saying that house elves like to work, that's why they're there. It's their job!"

"If memory serves, only two of those elves are being paid for what they do. The rest..."

"The rest of the elves belong to the school!" Ron shouted.

Harry caught Ginny's eye and nodded towards the kitchen door. She nodded and followed Harry out of the kitchen. Together the walked down the hall and made their way to the drawing room. It was quieter here.

"It sounds like they might be at it for awhile. May as well give them their space," Harry smiled at her. He took a seat on the sofa.

It was a surprise when Ginny didn't sit next to him. Instead she sat in the big poofy chair. When she sat down, she crossed her legs and her arms in front of her. Harry got the distinct impression that she wasn't exactly in the room with him because she wanted to be. His suspicions were confirmed when a few minutes later Ginny stood up and said, "Well, I guess I'll go to bed now. Good night, Harry,"

Harry felt at a loss for words. Realizing that now might be a good time to talk to Ginny, he stood up to follow saying after her, "Ginny, wait,"

She turned around, her liquid chocolate eyes looking at Harry expectantly. Her fiery red hair gleaming in the light from the gas lamps. Harry took a deep breath. He realized that he had some fences to mend. He may as well start now. Who knew when the time would come again?

"Yes, Harry?" Ginny said. He could hear a bit of exasperation and hostility in her tone. He knew that this would not be easy. But he had to try.

"About this morning..."

"What about it?" Ginny challenged, "Did you have something to say?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you for a minute,"

"Talk to me about what, Harry?" Ginny was impatient now.

Harry could hear the muffled sounds of Ron and Hermione having their row in the kitchen. The last thing Harry wanted was to row with Ginny. He sighed inwardly. In his head this had gone a lot better. He looked up at her; silently pleading for her to understand.

"Please, Ginny, can I just talk with you?"

There must have been something in his face that caused Ginny's eyes to soften a bit. Her tone however was guarded when she asked, "What is it, Harry? What has you so tongue tied?"

Moving back over to the sofa, Harry sat down. He patted the seat next to him and reluctantly Ginny followed him back into the room and sat down where Harry had indicated, her arms folded across her stomach.

"Ginny...I...well...it's like this..."

She signed with frustration. Harry couldn't blame her. She was upset with him and he knew it. His eyes went from looking into hers to the floor. There they stayed while he took a deep breath and began saying what was on his mind.

"This isn't going well, I'm sorry. I-I know that I h-hurt you when I tried to get Remus and B-Bill to take you with them last night," Harry began stuttering.

"I don't think hurting me was on your mind though, was it?" Ginny asked heat in her voice. She was plainly still upset about this; not that he could blame her.

"No, n-not like you think..."

"I'm tired, Harry. I'm tired of fighting with you and I'm tired of all of this. Would you please just spit it out?" Ginny was becoming more upset.

Harry sighed, swallowing past the lump forming in his throat.

"Y-you know the other night, when we g-got here and what you s-said? About how y-you feel? You know, about m-me?"

"What about it, Harry?" Ginny asked her voice cracking.

Harry glanced up. A single tear was making its way down her face. This was _really_ not going well. He closed his eyes and was silent for a long moment. His own feelings of regret for hurting her, uncertainty about talking to her and discomfort with the entire situation flooded through him. It was overwhelming. He could hear Ginny's increasingly quick breathing and knew that she was getting more and more upset with him. His eyes returned to the floor.

"Fine, I'm going to bed!" Ginny said angrily as she started to stand up.

"No, please! Wait, j-just a minute...please?" Harry's voice broke on the last word. He hadn't meant for that to happen. This was much, much more difficult than he'd thought it would be. He was making a royal mess of this, he knew it.

"Harry? What is it?" Ginny sat down again, closer to him this time. Her tone changed immediately. She seemed to be more concerned. At least some of the anger was gone from her voice.

Harry screwed his eyes shut tight and plowed on ahead. He was going to get it out no matter what. Then, after it was said, he would deal with whatever happened afterwards. He owed her this much.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm not the best b-boyfriend you could have. B-but the reason I wanted you to g-go with your brother and Remus wasn't to get rid of you. It was because I...I can't stand the thought of you being hurt. I can't stand the thought of seeing you bleeding, like Bill or even worse dead like Sirius. It keeps me up nights! I-it makes it so I c-can't concentrate. Ginny, I...l love you. I don't want you to be hurt. I love you, Ginny. More and more every day." Harry kept his eyes closed as he said all this. He waited for Ginny's reaction. He figured he deserved whatever he got.

The room was silent except for the continued sounds of Ron and Hermione arguing in the next room. Harry figured Ginny must have left the drawing room and he didn't notice it, it was quiet so long. The minutes ticked by. Harry knew this because he counted them. His eyes never left the floor even as he felt a rare tear of his own slide slowly down his cheek. Then a cool finger was pressed firmly under his chin.

"Harry, please, look at me," Ginny said softly, her voice rich with emotion.

He shook his head and turned it away. He couldn't bear to see the look of rejection or anger in her eyes. Ginny however was more insistent. Both of her hands were gently placed on either side of his face. She then guided his face around to face her. "Open your eyes please, Harry," She whispered softly, urgently,

"Harry, please...open your eyes," She whispered again, this time much closer to him. Her lips were right next to his ear.

Harry resigned himself to what it was he thought he was going to see and opened his eyes. The light irritated them a bit from having them closed so tightly. However the first thing his eyes found when they opened was Ginny's chocolate brown orbs looking deeply and lovingly back into own. There was no anger there, no hostility, not even irritation. There was only acceptance and love.

"Harry," she whispered again, swallowing hard as she did so.

"Ginny," He whispered back barely loud enough to hear. He didn't know what else to say.

The next thing he knew, Ginny was pulling his face towards hers. Their lips met in a gentle kiss. Barely a caress of the lips, hers upon his. Then she kissed him again, this time firmly and with more fire.

She snaked her arms around his neck and his found their way around her back. There they remained for some time, enjoying each other warm embrace. Harry knew, as Ginny did, that things between them would be a little different than they had been before. Their challenge would be in working that out.

The next morning Harry awoke a little later than he'd planned. Ron and Hermione had stormed off to bed not long after Ginny had forgiven Harry. Neither of them wanting to listen to the angry sounds of their room-mates, Harry and Ginny stayed out in the drawing room and talked long into the night.

When they finally did go up to bed, sleep was a long time in coming for Harry. He had quietly gotten into his pajamas and into bed even though he could tell by Ron's breathing that his best mate was not asleep. However when Harry had entered the room Ron was turned away from the door, clearly not in a mood to talk. Harry thought it best to let him have his privacy.

The next morning, when everyone was up, it was Harry and Ginny who were holding hands and smiling at each other. Ron and Hermione were barely being civil to one another. In fact they were both being very short and direct. Harry shook his head at them when their backs were turned. It wasn't like this was a new thing with them. He knew that like all their previous fights, this one too would run it's course.

"So Harry," Hermione began in a voice that was too happy and chipper, "What are we going to do today?"

"I think that Ron and I should take a quick trip to Hogsmeade and get the lay of the land," Harry answered after a moment's thought.

"That sounds good, yeah. Let's do that," Ron agreed enthusiastically. His eyes were red from lack of sleep.

"Already? You want to leave today?" Ginny asked, surprised.

"Don't you want at least some time to prepare?" Hermione looked suddenly a little nervous.

"What? Don't you think we can handle ourselves without you?" Ron accused.

"That's not what I was saying!" Hermione shot back, tears forming in her eyes.

"It sure sounded like it. Makes you wonder, doesn't it Harry? How were we able to succeed down in the Chamber of Secrets without her? Or in getting to school at all in second year?" Ron shouted.

His dander was up. Harry knew he had better intervene, now, before things really got out of hand.

"You're right, Ron, we did do pretty well in the Chamber of Secrets. Although I do have to wonder if Hermione might not have had another idea instead of flying that car to school, not that, that was a bad one," Harry added hastily at seeing Ron's scathing look.

"My point is you're both right. Yes Hermione, we probably could do with a bit more preparation. Except that September the first is right around the corner and I don't want to be at Hogwarts when that day comes and school begins. Ron, you know well enough that Hermione was only looking out for us; yelling at her doesn't help anything," Harry finished.

Neither one of them were looking at each other or at Harry. Finally Harry sighed and said to the room in exasperation, "I guess I'll just go myself. You two need to work this out!"

Harry leaned over and gave Ginny a quick kiss before he stood up and left the room. He wasn't happy with Ron as he went upstairs and got his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map. Making sure he had his wand in his belt before going back downstairs, Harry sighed. This whole situation wasn't easy on any of them. Privately Harry thought that Ron and Hermione needed some time alone together. That was going to be a difficult time staying here though, he suddenly realized. He was lucky to get what he did with Ginny last night and they weren't likely to get much more anytime soon.

Resigning himself to the task ahead and what needed to be done, Harry put Ron and Hermione's differences out of his mind. He resolved himself to just getting in and out of Hogsmeade today, preferably coming back with more information than he had now, going in. Harry left his room and went back down the hall and the stairs. He was met on the bottom landing by the other three.

Ginny held out some food to him. It was a leftover sausage from dinner the night before, reheated at a touch from Hermione's wand. Ron was chewing on his own sausage, looking sheepishly up at him as Harry came down the stairs.

"I re'kon ou shouln' go out by urself," He said around his mouthful. Both Hermione and Ginny looked slightly disgusted at this but neither one said anything about it. Harry nodded his thanks to Ginny and took a few minutes to eat the sausage.

"So, Harry," Hermione began carefully, "How exactly are you going to do this?"

"I was thinking of only being gone an hour. Ron and I can apparate into Hogsmeade and from there have a look around. I was going to take my map, but I think this trip should only be just into Hogsmeade and back. I'll leave the map here. If Ron and I aren't back in an hour or so, you'll know something happened,"

Everyone was nodding now so Harry went on, "Hermione, if something does happen and Ron and I don't make it back, then you'll need to take Ginny and find somewhere safe to lay low. Hopefully though you won't have to do that," he finished with a smile.

"Harry, be careful," Ginny said as she came forward and wrapped him up in a tight hug. Harry returned it, kissing Ginny on the cheek as he did.

"We won't be gone too long," Harry promised.

Ron pointedly looked away from them as they said their good-byes. Hermione watched Harry and Ginny, then looked at Ron with a hurt expression. She came forward and gave Harry a quick hug, "Be safe, both of you," She told him quietly.

"We will," Harry replied.

Harry and Ron went to the door and opened it. Hermione and Ginny stood back from the entrance, close to the portrait of Sirius' mother. They watched fearfully as the two boys stepped outside onto the porch and shut the door.

"It'll be good to get away for a bit," Ron said sullenly.

Harry just nodded. He threw the Invisibility Cloak over them and then had Ron take him by the arm, just as he himself had taken Dumbledore's arm almost a year ago. Harry turned on the spot, felt his insides squeeze together like they were being stuffed through a thick rubber tube, and then he was able to breathe again. They were standing on the road about half a mile away from Hogsmeade village in the forest on the opposite side of the settlement from Hogwarts.

"Why did you take us so far away from the village?" Ron asked as he let go of Harry's arm.

"I didn't want anyone hearing us apparate," Harry replied.

"Oh, good thinking. Where do you think we should go first?"

Harry thought for a minute; "I think we should just go down close enough to watch the village for a little bit. If it looks safe, we can try moving farther in. What do you think?"

"Sounds like it might work," Ron agreed as they set out walking.

"Don't forget," Harry cautioned his oldest friend, "We'll have to be quiet. No one can see us under this, but that doesn't stop them from hearing us."

"I remember," Ron nodded but his voice was much quieter.

It was slow going as the two friends walked hunched over under the Invisibility Cloak towards the village. They stopped just outside of town and found a place under some trees where they could sit and watch and observe things quietly.

The first thing that Harry noticed was that everything seemed quieter than usual. At first Harry thought that it might be because school hadn't started yet, but it was soon apparent that it was more than that.

Very few people were out and about. Those that were, were moving about their business quickly; with their heads down. No one stopped to talk to each other in the street. In fact they seemed to be going out of their way to avoid one another.

"Do you see that?" Ron asked Harry in an urgent whisper.

"The people? Yeah, they look like they're in a hurry, don't they?"

"It's more than that, they're scared to be around each other! Look at them, over there, quick!"

Harry's eyes found what Ron was indicating. Two people had bumped into each other, apparently accidentally. Now they could be seen exchanging profuse apologies to one another and reassuring each other that no harm was done.

"What do you make of it?" Ron asked shocked at the display he'd just seen.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good, does it?"

"No, it doesn't." They continued to watch for awhile longer. There wasn't much to see since the streets were so empty. The two agreed to change their position to watch a while longer. Harry wanted a better look at Honeydukes Sweet shop. So they moved into the town and down a quiet side alley.

From that alley they were able to see a lot more. The Three Broomsticks was clearly viewable, as was the sweet shop, Gladrags, and several other shops. They settled in to watch the scene before them. They didn't have long to wait before something happened to catch their attention.

The door to the Three Broomsticks opened and four men in shabby, dark, threadbare robes came stumbling out. It was clear that they were not the usual customers that Madam Rosemerta catered towards but neither were they Death Eaters.

"'Ere you are!" shouted a fifth man who was walking up the lane.

"We was jus' tippin' a few back we was," Said one of the drunken men.

"More'n just a few, I reckon," The fifth said disgustedly, "If'n they see you like this, they'll kill ya jus' as soon as lookit ya!" The fifth man said contemptuously.

"We were jus' havin' a bit' o fun!" another of the drunken men proclaimed.

"Well, until the Dark Lord captures Potter, I wouldn't have too much of it!"

The four dark robed men came forward to meet the fifth man in the middle of the street. Where they met was about ten yards directly in front of where Harry and Ron sat hidden under Harry's cloak. They looked at each other briefly then back at the group.

"Still no word then?" Asked a new voice. He seemed to be the tallest one of the group. He was swaying unsteadily on his feet.

"Nope, I reckon he's gone to ground, hasn' he? No one's seen 'im since them Death Eaters tried to capture him on 'is birfday. They muss really wan at 'im!"

The sober man held up a copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry's picture was on the front page, but it wasn't the same copy that Remus and Bill had brought them a couple days prior. This one had a banner heading across the picture of Harry that read, Undesirable Number One! Harry could clearly read it even from ten feet away.

"Wass dat?" Asked another drunken voice.

"Them Death Eaters put out a list! Evryone they wan t talk to but don' 'ave is on 'ere!"

"What does that mean?" asked another drunken man.

"On'y tha' we'c'n make some galleons if'n we catch 'em tha's on this list!"

The men laughed excitedly and then set off down the road. Harry and Ron looked at each other. Suddenly Harry was desperate to get his hands on a copy of the Daily Prophet. He wanted to see this list that the fifth man was talking about. He started thinking about how he could go about getting one.

"Harry..." Ron began, quietly speculative.

"Shush, I'm trying to think..."

"Harry, I want to see a copy of that newspaper!" Ron exclaimed. For the moment he forgot to lower his voice. A passerby looked alarmingly down the alley where Harry and Ron were hidden. Harry shushed Ron, realizing why Ron was after a copy. It would be the easiest way to see which of his family members weren't on the list. It turned out they both wanted the same thing, just for different reasons.

"Alright, alright! We'll get a copy, but we'll have to be careful," Harry agreed.

"Okay," Ron took a deep breath, "How do we do it?"

Checking his watch, Harry determined that they only had about ten minutes left before they needed to get back to the lane outside of town where they could apparate safely.

"We'll look in rubbish bins; someone is bound to have thrown away their copy somewhere..."

They set off down the alley. They checked each rubbish bin they came across. There weren't any copies of that day's prophet that they found in their alley. So, with great care they moved on to the next alley and checked that alley's bins; still nothing. It wasn't until they were midway through checking the fifth and next to the last alley that they found what they were looking for. Ron held it up in triumph.

"AHA!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Shh!" Harry shushed him except that it did little good.

"Aha! So there is someone creepin aroun down 'ere!" Said a voice from the street.

Harry and Ron wheeled around only to come face to face with one of the men from the Three Broomsticks. He had his wand leveled at them and he was holding it steadily. It took Harry a moment to realize that all the man could see would be Ron's disembodied arm holding a copy of the Daily Prophet. It gave him an idea.

Slowly moving his wand out the belt of his jeans, Harry pointed it towards the man in the dark robes. That same man was calling over his shoulder, eyes never leaving Ron's arm holding the copy of the prophet in mid air, "Hey! Over 'ere! I found somethin'!"

"STUPIFY!" Harry cried suddenly. The man's wand flew out of his hand as he flew backwards through the air. Harry didn't even see where he landed. He took hold of Ron's arm and turned on the spot. With a loud "CRACK!" they were gone.

Together they were able to apparate under the Invisibility Cloak back to the front porch of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Harry turned to watch the Death Eaters across the street as they started looking around furiously for the two of them. So far at least the secret that protected their temporary home remained intact. Harry couldn't help but wonder how much longer that could last.

"We alright?" Ron asked him as he noted where Harry was looking.

"Seem to be, let's get inside though," Harry advised.

Together they entered the residence and passed through the security precautions set up by Professor Moody. Only after they had dissipated the dust form of Professor Dumbledore did Hermione and Ginny emerge from their hiding places behind the door to the cloak room and the drawing room. Harry removed the Invisibility Cloak and folded it haphazardly before tucking it under his arm.

"You made it," Hermione said as she rushed forward giving Harry a hug. She moved to embrace Ron as well but he'd brushed past her on his way to the drawing room with the Daily Prophet in his hand. Harry saw the hurt look in her eyes.

"I'm glad you're both safe," Ginny said as she came forward and kissed him lightly.

"Barely," Harry replied, and then he launched into the story as they followed Ron into the drawing room.

"You what?" Ginny was outraged when Harry reached the part about how they had given themselves away.

"It was an honest mistake," Harry amended quietly.

"You could have gotten yourselves killed," Hermione added looking horrified.

"Yes, but we didn't. Instead we got to look around Hogsmeade and got a new copy of the Daily Prophet. All in all not bad for an hour's work," Harry said as he sat down on the sofa. Ron was alone in the over stuffed chair with the paper already open. Hermione was tentatively standing near him, reading over his shoulder. Ginny went to sit next to Harry.

No one said anything for a few minutes. Hermione was sitting on the arm of Ron's chair reading with him. Ron didn't acknowledge her, but neither did her push her away. Harry took this as a positive sign. He laid his head back to think for a minute and felt Ginny take his hand.

The trip to Hogsmeade had been successful, yes. But it had also come perilously close to disaster. Harry would have much rather had a different outcome, but he had no control over something like that.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed in quiet shock.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up. Ron's face had turned white and Hermione's was a mask of horror.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"This list of undesirables," Ron answered in a quiet voice.

"What about it?" Harry prodded him getting annoyed.

"Harry, this list..." Hermione began,

"Yes?"

"It's a list of who's who of the Death Eater's most wanted. You're listed here first..." Hermione went on.

"I knew that, what about it?"

"Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I are listed right after you. Followed by Kingsley, Remus, Ron and Ginny's parents, Bill, Neville, Neville's grandmother..."

"What about Charlie, Fred, and George?" Ginny asked in alarm.

"They're not listed here, I checked. Twice," Ron answered quietly, "What do you think that means?"

All eyes in the room fell on Harry who suddenly was feeling overwhelmed, "I'm...not sure," Harry hesitated.

"Harry, those are my brothers," Ginny said quietly. It was clear that she was deeply affected by the news she had just heard.

"I know that," Harry answered her, putting his hand on her arm reassuringly.

"Harry," Ron began.

"Look, we know that Charlie, Fred, and George are not listed there. That means either one of two things: either the Death Eaters have them," Harry looked everyone in the eye as he gave voice to their fears, "Or that they aren't wanted. We haven't heard anything about them since we've been here. I rather think that someone would have found a way to tell us if something bad had happened to them,"

"Harry's right," Hermione agreed in a voice of false bravado, "We need to keep positive."

"What about that paper that Remus sent yesterday? Has anyone read that?" Harry asked.

Realization dawned in Hermione's eyes, "Oh Harry, after everything that happened yesterday, I completely forgot about it,"

"Well, let's take a look at it now. Maybe we can learn something we don't know that might answer some of our questions," Ginny voiced as she stood up and moved towards the kitchen. She was back within a minute, the folded copy of yesterday's Daily Prophet clutched tightly in her hand. She went back to her seat on the couch and began reading.

Harry observed Ginny as she quietly read the paper in her hands. She didn't seem to be reading every article so much as scanning it. Seeming content for the moment, Harry then turned his attention to Ron. It turned out that he'd turned away a few moments too soon. Ginny's gasp of surprise was followed by a horrific cry; "OH NO!"

Everyone in the room turned towards her as Ginny slowly lowered the paper. Her eyes were streaming tears and she looked like she was only moments from breaking down completely.

"What is it?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione asked all at the same time.

"It's our house! They burned it to the ground!"

"WHAT?" Ron roared jumping to his feet and sending Hermione sprawling to the floor. He turned and helped Hermione to her feet and when he turned around his face was white.

"Look, there, in that paper!" Ginny cried.

Harry picked up the paper Ginny dropped. Sure enough, there was a picture of the Burrow in flames. The photo caption underneath stated:

_'Weasley home in flames; traitorous family on the run._

_The home of known undesirable (see tomorrow's copy of the Daily Prophet for full list, page 2) was burned to the ground yesterday following a fight between Ministry Officials and The Order of the Phoenix that was using the Weasley home as their base of operations and was, until very recently, also the last known place to have house Harry Potter who is wanted for questioning in the death of former Hogwarts Headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, who was said to have been the head of the Order. _

_Known participants in the Battle of the Burrow, as it is now being called, were members of the Weasley family: Arthur, Molly, Bill and Fleur Weasley, Warewolf Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Nymphadora Tonks._

_Known to have perished in the battle is a ghoul that had been dressed up as Ronald Weasley, who had been reportedly laid up at the home with the infectious disease; Spattergroit._

_Ronald Weasley, the youngest son of the Weasley Clan, is now thought to be on the run or in hiding with Harry Potter, as is the only girl of the Weasley family, Ginerva "Ginny" Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Granger is also wanted for questioning by the Muggleborn Registration Commission (see yesterday's Prophet, page 3 for more on this story). _

_Anyone who has seen any member of the Weasley family, Harry Potter, or the aforementioned individuals are asked to report these whereabouts immediately to the Ministry of Magic. Do not try to apprehend them, as they are believed to be armed and dangerous.'_

Harry finished reading and looked up at his friends. Hermione was holding Ron from behind, her arms wrapped around him and her head on his back between his shoulders. Ron looked like he was ready to bolt from the room, but sat there silently staring at the wall. Ginny had her arms wrapped around herself and looked like she was ready to cry.

Setting down the paper, Harry gently reached over and took her in his arms. Ginny let him and put her arms around him. Stunned, Harry didn't know what else to do. The Burrow had been more of a home to him than anywhere else he'd ever been, except for maybe Hogwarts. He felt horrible at what he'd read and the picture he'd seen. It was difficult to imagine what Ron and Ginny must be feeling about this.

The group sat there in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place that afternoon reeling from the shock of the events they'd just learned of. Harry held Ginny until she was able to come to grips with the situation. He rubbed her back and spent his time deep in thought. When Ginny sat up, Harry decided that it was time to start doing something.

"I think," he said putting his thoughts into words, "that we need to really get started on trying to get into Hogwarts. Before we go back though I think we need to learn and practice disillusionment spells. It would be a lot easier to move around if we could do it without having to hide under my dad's old cloak,"

"That's a good idea, Harry," Hermione nodded in agreement, "We need to start right away if we're going to get in and out of the school before term begins,"

Ron quietly nodded. Ginny just looked at Harry as he continued on; "We'll need to keep going to Hogsmeade. We need to learn everything we can about what's going on there and up in the school. We need to find out everything we can,"

Harry looked down at Ginny who looked back at him. She had a fire in her eyes and Harry knew that staying behind at Grimmauld Place while the others were out trying to do something would be extremely hard for her. He recognized the burning desire to be out there doing something about what was going on. He knew what he saw because he felt it himself. Harry nodded at Ginny and smiled at her grimly.

"I also think that we need to do everything we can to find a way to break the Trace on Ginny. If we're going to do this, we'll need all the help we can get,"

"Agreed," Hermione said solemnly. Ron and Ginny were nodding their agreement as well.

Now it was time to set to work.


	8. Tragic News

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 8**

The next morning everyone woke up early and with a purpose. Again it was Ginny who prepared a light breakfast for everyone. This time it consisted of some poached eggs on toast. Hermione set out first learning then perfecting the Disillusionment Charm while Harry and Ron talked about various spells that might come in useful. They even discussed how best to go about trying to practice non-verbal magic.

It took Hermione only an hour to get the basics of the Disillusionment Spell down. Once she did and felt like she was adept at performing the charm competently, she began the process of teaching it to Ron and Harry.

With their minds and hearts dedicated to the task at hand, not to mention a grim determination to learn it quickly; the two boys only took a short time to learn the spell and not much longer to become as proficient in its use as Hermione was.

They were practicing the charm on each other when Ginny entered the room looking much happier than she did the day before. When Harry looked up at her, she smiled sweetly at him and then announced to everyone; "Breakfast is ready,"

Trouping into the kitchen, they all sat down at the table. This time it was Harry who waved his wand and everyone, after a couple tries, had a breakfast plate with food on it in front of them. It was piping hot and smelled delicious.

"Not bad, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed as she kissed him on the cheek.

Harry's cheeks went red but he smiled back at her, "Err...Thanks!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head at the two of them. Ron was looking studiously at his plate, ignoring his sister and best mate.

"It looked like you lot have the Disillusionment Charm down pretty well," Ginny commented as she took a bite of egg.

Hermione nodded, "We're getting there. I think we could do with a bit more practice though. Maybe after breakfast..."

"...After breakfast we need to make another trip back to Hogsmeade," Harry interrupted her.

Ron's eyes opened wide in surprise, "So soon? What about what happened yesterday?"

"What about it?" Harry pressed him.

"Harry, don't you think its just the tiniest bit mental to go tromping off to Hogsmeade so soon after we were nearly caught?" Ron was looking at Harry as if he thought he might be a bit mad. The expressions on the faces of Hermione and Ginny mirrored Ron's.

"Really Harry, are you mental?" Ginny was outraged. She looked like she was building up to something fast.

"No, it's just something we need to do. I understand that you don't want to do it, neither do I. Look, I'll go alone if I have to but still, it has to be done. Otherwise we won't know what's waiting for us..."

"...When we get there," Hermione finished looking resigned and unhappy about it.

"You're not going alone!" Ginny said furiously, her eyes blazing.

"I'll go with him," Hermione told her. At hearing this Ron's head turned towards her so fast he got a crick in his neck.

"What? Ouch!" Ron rubbed his neck looking at Hermione.

"Don't you think I can take care of myself Ronald? Is that it?" Hermione's voice was testy.

"Now let's not start this again! I know you can take care of yourself. You've proven that and I get it. I just don't like the thought of you being in danger is all," Ron looked at Hermione pleadingly.

"Ginny," Harry began ignoring his other two friends, "I think you need to understand something. Sometimes there are going to be things that need done that are going to be dangerous. Sometimes those dangerous things might be something that one of us has to do alone. There's no getting around it,"

"I know that," Ginny was looking less and less happy as the conversation progressed, "I just don't know why you have to go off and do these dangerous things now. Couldn't you wait a day or two?"

"Maybe we could but that would only be putting it off," Harry said as he finished his breakfast.

Looking forlorn, Ginny took Harry's plate with her own over to the sink. Harry watched at her as she worked at cleaning them, her head bent low over the task. Seeing her like this, Harry understood that she was scared that something was going to happen. Maybe it would, there was no real way to tell. He understood why she was upset, there just wasn't much to be done for it. Except maybe waiting a little to give her a chance to get used to the idea.

Getting up from where he sat, Harry sighed as he walked over and said quietly to her, "Maybe it could wait a day or two after all,"

Ginny's eyes were a little swollen when she looked back up at him. She gave him a tentative smile. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome," he smiled back at her.

"So," Ron asked as he looked at Harry and his sister, "Are we going to wait then?"

Harry nodded. It was not without reservation that he'd made the decision he did. He lay his hand on Ginny's shoulder for a second. Then something else he had mentioned the night before came to mind. Thinking about this he left the room.

On his way out he picked up a book that Remus had sent about breaking charms and curses: _The Curse-Breaker's Companion; One Hundred and One ways to break reluctant charms and curses. by Agnes Fracture_. Taking the book into the drawing room, Harry sat down on the overstuffed chair and began to flip through it absently. He let his mind wander over the conversation he'd just had with Ginny.

There wasn't a lot that he could do about the task that lay ahead of them. They had to find the Horcruxes and they had to have a way to destroy them. There was just no way around it. He knew that she wanted to help and honestly having another able person who could use magic would be most helpful indeed.

His thoughts turned to the book in his hand. There must be a way to break the Trace that was on Ginny. If he only knew how that trace was put on a person, then maybe they could find a way to disable it. Was there such a thing? Harry felt certain there had to be, otherwise how could it be made to break at seventeen?

Ron and Hermione entered the room and Ginny followed just a few moments later. Taking a seat next to each other on the couch, Hermione was watching Harry closely. It was clear that he wasn't actually reading the book, only staring blankly at the pages, seemingly very deep in thought.

Ginny, who had been watching Harry since she entered the room, looked at Hermione and raised her eyebrows inquisitively. Hermione could only look back at her and shake her head.

Since her brother and best friend were on the couch, Ginny squeezed into the chair with Harry who absently put his arm around her.

"Harry?" Hermione asked,

"Hmm?" Harry's eyes never left his book.

"What is it Harry?" Ginny asked him.

His eyes came up and looked around the room. He seemed surprised to see his friends gathered there with him. It was otherwise quiet as everyone was looking at each other expectantly. With the morning sun streaming through the curtains, chinks of light fell upon the carpet like beams from a flashlight.

"Nothing really, just thinking..." Harry answered absently as his fingers toyed with the pages.

"That doesn't appear to be 'nothing' to me," Hermione prodded him, "What are you thinking about?"

Closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, Harry looked at Ginny as he answered; "Trying to find a way to break the Trace. I figured if we're going to be sticking around here for a couple of days, we might as well be productive about it,"

Ginny's eyes lit up at hearing this, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Not a single one," He admitted grudgingly.

It didn't seem as if Ginny was entirely able to keep the look of disappointment from her face. Harry couldn't blame her. It had to be hard to be the only one of the group who was capable of using magic but couldn't for fear of giving away their location to the Death Eaters.

"I think it would be important," Hermione said thoughtfully, "If we start by what we know about the Trace. Maybe by determining what we do know, it can point us in the right direction when it comes to breaking it."

"Well, we know that Harry was tried before the Wizengamot just before fifth year when he used his Patronus against those Dementors," Ron began.

"I remember that," Ginny said, "But we use magic all the time at home and never get so much as a notice from the Ministry,"

"I wonder why that is," Hermione was looking at them speculatively, "You know, people are using magic all the time at school or on the Hogwarts Express too..."

"Don't forget Dobby," Harry added.

"Who?" Ginny's face was curious at the mention of this name.

"Dobby," Harry told her again, "He was Malfoy's House Elf. He was the one who tried to stop Ron and me from getting to school in second year. The first time I saw him, he used a Hover Charm to float a dessert in my house on Privet Drive. He dropped the dessert on a guest of my Uncle's and I got blamed for it."

"You did?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I got an official notice from the Ministry and everything. Although..." Harry said turning to Ron, "I wonder how come nothing was said when you and your brothers flew your Dad's car to come and get me..."

"I don't know, and nothing was ever said when we came to get you for the Quidditch finals either. We used loads of magic then," Ron answered.

"I suspect its because the Ministry knew that there was at least a possibility of Magic being used at that time. Wasn't your Aunt and Uncle's place connected to the Floo Network so you could get to the Burrow?" Hermione asked.

"It was," Harry nodded, "And I never heard anything when the Order came to collect me before fifth year. Though that may be because I was already in so much trouble already, that the Ministry didn't think another charge would amount to much,"

"What about when you blew up your Aunt?" Ginny giggled.

"The Ministry overlooked that, on account of Sirius' break out of Azkaban. They certainly knew about it though," Harry replied thoughtfully.

"Hermione..." Ron looked like he was thinking hard, "On the train to school in first year, didn't you say that you had tried some spells that had worked for you?"

Harry and Hermione were staring at Ron looking amazed. Ron's face turned red to the tip of his long nose, but he pressed his point; "Well, didn't you?"

"T-that's true, you remember that?" Hermione looked impressed. Harry turned his head to one side, hiding his grin.

Ron nodded, turning an even darker shade of crimson. Ginny looked at Harry and they shared a knowing smile. He tightened his arm around her briefly for a moment before going on, "Did you ever hear anything about it from the Ministry?"

With a brief shake of her head, a dazed and confused looking Hermione turned back towards Harry, "No, I didn't."

"Harry, remember when we were learning how to ride brooms in first year? Didn't Malfoy say that he'd been doing it for a long time? I don't think he would've been allowed to fly around if he was going to get a notice from the Ministry for doing it," Ron added.

Harry smiled at the memory, especially the part where Madam Hooch had told Malfoy that he'd been riding his broom wrong for years.

"Didn't you once set a Boa Constrictor on your cousin?" Ginny asked looking at Harry.

"I did, about the same time I got my Hogwarts letter too..."

"And you didn't hear anything about using magic underage then, did you?" Ginny pressed.

"No,"

"But he wouldn't have," Hermione said, "He was in a house of Muggles. No one there would have known anything about the decree for not using magic while being under age, let alone about the Ministry of Magic or even the Wizarding World,"

"So what does that mean?" Ron asked looking a little confused.

"I don't know," Admitted Hermione reluctantly. It was obvious that she didn't like not knowing anything about the Trace. Harry privately thought that the fact that there were things out there that Hermione didn't know about was probably very good for her.

"Well, we know that underage witches and wizards don't have the trace on them yet," Harry stated confidently.

"That we know of," Hermione said, "We can't be sure of that,"

"I don't think that the Trace is as accurate as the Ministry would have us believe," Ginny turned towards Hermione, "Otherwise they would have known that it was that Dobby elf that used magic, not Harry,"

"Ginny's right," Ron agreed, "I don't think they even have it for younger wizards,"

"Which suggests that the Trace is placed after a witch or wizard begins attending school..." Hermione speculated.

"Could it be at school where they put the Trace on us?" Ginny asked.

"It's possible and it would explain a lot," acknowledged Hermione reluctantly.

"So, lets work on that assumption for a moment," Harry sat forward, "If that's the case, then who would've put the trace on us? Our Head of House? Or perhaps the school Headmaster?"

"But when would they do it?" asked Ron looking skeptical.

"At the feast that first night," Hermione said, "Professor Dumbledore stands up before the entire school. Everyone is gathered there in the Great Hall already. It would be easy to cast the charm then and no one would be the wiser,"

"Okay, so let's say that it was Dumbledore who put the trace on us. What kind of charm is it? How would we go about breaking it?" Ron asked incredulously.

Harry looked down at the book he was holding and a thought struck him. What if... "Hang on," Harry exclaimed, "What if that's what Lupin was trying to tell us when he sent us these? What if he's trying to point us in the right direction?"

"He certainly would have been in a position to know. He even mentioned that Dumbledore was interested in the steps that your dad and Sirius were taking to try and break the trace too!" Hermione added excitedly.

"Could these be their old notes?" Ron's excitement matched Harry and Hermione's.

Looking over at Ginny, Harry could see the hope in her eyes. He knew that this was something that she desperately wanted. His own hope was that they could figure this out for her.

"Wouldn't it be a great present if you could use magic without having to worry about the trace before your birthday, Ginny?" Ron was asking her.

"Bloody Hell, Yes!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.

It was with a vigor unlike any they had had before while at school when they all went to the stacks of books Lupin had sent them and each took volume or two and set about studying it carefully. For many hours that day, they spent it quietly together searching and researching every book they had for some scrap of information that they could use. The book stacks in the sitting room was growing more and more as each hour passed.

Hermione got out her beaded bag and pulled out more parchment and her quill. She studiously made notes from what she read and also from what everyone else was learning. When they broke for lunch, she had several inches written out in her neat, hurried script.

Lunch that day was simply cold tinned tomatoes on toast. While certainly meager fare, no one wanted to break any more than they had to from the studying that they were doing.

It was Hermione herself who had come across the most notes they had found thus far in the research regarding the Trace. It was from a note Remus had tucked in a book called: _Protecting Our Young- Fail Safe Charms and Spells for the Safety of Young Witches and Wizards; by Hercule Shield._

_"_What's this?" Hermione asked as she held up the note.

"What's what?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food.

"Hermione?" Harry was looking at her as she read the note. Her face was turning red, "What is it?"

"Never mind. It would never work. No one would ever go for it," She hastily tried tucking the note in her pocket. Harry however was too fast for her.

He whipped out his wand, pointed it at Hermione, and exclaimed, "Accio note!"

The parchment in question tore out of Hermione's grip and flew through the air into Harry's hand. Hermione, after a moment's look of irritation, settled down with the book grinning smugly. Harry read the note with Ginny looking over his shoulder. Almost as one they both turned bright red.

"Y-yeah, b-better to leave t-that alone f-for now!" Harry said shoving the note in his pocket. He was avoiding eye contact with Ginny as he did it.

He immediately started looking at the book he held, but his eyes weren't reading the page. Ginny, whose face was still crimson, watched Harry with a strange look on her face. Ron looked more bewildered than ever.

"What is it?" He asked, "What am I missing?"

"Nothing!" Ginny told him.

Hermione started shaking now with repressed laughter. Harry, turning more and more crimson by the moment, got up and left the room. As soon as he did, Hermione burst out laughing.

"Would somebody tell me what is so bloody funny!"

"Remus found a way to break that Trace,"

"Hermione, don't!" Ginny warned looking fearfully at Ron.

"It serves Harry right, he shouldn't have taken the note like that!" Hermione giggled.

"Hermione..." Harry called from the next room, warning in his tone.

"What is it?" Ron demanded, "Ginny?" "Oh no! You're not getting this one out of me! I'd rather face Mum than discus this idea with you, thank you very much!"

"Face Mum about what? What could be so bad?" But Ginny had left the room. Now it was Hermione and Ron who were alone together in the drawing room.

It was only a few minutes later when the explosion came. Harry and Ginny were sitting in the kitchen waiting for it. Neither one was looking at the other. Harry was looking into the fire place. He had sweat on his brow and kept fidgeting with his fingers on his wand. Occasionally it would emit red sparks or sometimes smoke would waft up from the end of it.

Ginny was watching the door. Her hand too was near her wand and she was studiously ignoring Harry. Or was trying to. Every now and again she'd glance over at him and see him fidget.

"WHAT?!" Ron roared from the next room.

"Calm down, Ron!" Hermione was trying to placate him, "Remus only said it was an idea that would work! Besides, we don't know anyone that could do it anyway!"

Angry footsteps could be heard coming towards the kitchen. Both Harry and Ginny tensed up at the row they knew was coming fast. They glanced at each other knowingly.

"Over my dead body! Getting married! Mum would have kittens if she knew about this!" He burst into the room then. Ron's eyes found Harry immediately. "YOU!"

Ron looked like he was ready to charge at Harry like an enraged Hippogriff.

"Hang on!" Harry jumped to his feet, his back to the kitchen hearth.

"If you think for one minute I'm letting you..." "What are you getting mad at me for? It wasn't my idea!" Harry exclaimed as he took a nervous step back.

Ginny however was not to be intimidated by her brother. She stood up and looked him dead in the eye. The hostile expression on her face brought Ron up short and fast. He stared coldly at his sister and she just as coldly stared back.

"I don't know what business it is of yours, Dear Brother, if Harry and I get married or not. Its not as if it would be you who would be the one to go through with it!" Ginny told him.

"But...but...you're too young!" Ron shouted at her.

"I'm only just about to turn sixteen. If I got married to Harry and it broke the trace, where's the harm? It's my decision, isn't it? It's not like its something that would never have happened otherwise..." Ginny glanced at Harry as she said this. Harry's eyes popped open wide when he realized what it was that Ginny was saying.

Hermione was cautiously watching the two siblings. Harry, as red as he was, took a tentative step forward. "Do you mean it? You'd...you know...err...m-marry me? Like a real wedding and everything?"

"I've spent time thinking what it would be like, yes," Ginny's face was turning red again. "Don't you think about it? What it might be like?"

Before Harry could answer however, Ron seemed to calm down a little and sat down. "It's not like it's going to happen though, is it?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked him, looking defensive.

"Who is there that could do it? Mum and Dad would have to give their blessing, which they wouldn't. Not now, not while you're under age. Then there's the fact that we don't have anyone around who could perform the ceremony and the binding spells that go with it. We're just going to have to find another way to break the Trace," Ron explained.

Ginny looked at her brother for a minute. She looked like a balloon that had suddenly had the air let out of it. Harry too looked a little deflated at what Ron was saying. He was right of course. They were too young and who was there that could perform the wedding ceremony? But the thought of it, getting married to Ginny, had some appeal.

It kind of felt a little like a small, tiny, brilliant spark of light at the end of a very long, dark, dangerous tunnel. For a moment he let his mind wander over what it would be like. He could kind of imagine it even. Him an Auror; Ginny doing something that appealed to her, maybe playing Quidditch or working in the Ministry of Magic. He could even imagine their children. One of them might even have his mother's eyes. Another might have his untidy hair...

"Harry?" It was Ginny. She was looking at him tenderly. Her face was expectant. Harry realized that she still wanted an answer to her question.

Chancing a nervous glance at Ron, Harry returned her gaze with one of his own; "I was kind of thinking about it...you know...what it would be like..."

Ron started to stand up, but Hermione's hand on his shoulder held him down. "Stop it, Ron," She chided him, "You're behaving like an immature troll. Harry's allowed to have his thoughts and dreams and Ginny is too. You can allow them that much,"

"Fine, if anyone wants me, I'll be upstairs," Ron huffed as he stood up again, turned around and left the room. Hermione smiled apologetically at the couple and followed Ron out of the room. She discretely made sure the door was shut behind her.

A few hours later, Ginny and Hermione were going about the task of making the evening meal. Harry and Ron were sitting together in the sitting room. Neither was talking for the moment, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

Harry's mind drifted over the wonderfully enlightening conversation he and Ginny had enjoyed over the course of the afternoon. Ron's face was as intense as the thoughts he was having. Every so often he would glance at his mate and then look away again. Finally he sighed loudly and said,

"I guess it wouldn't be so bad,"

"What's that?" Harry asked though he thought he knew. He looked up at Ron and found Ron's eyes looking back at him.

"You and Ginny...you know...getting married. It's not as if she'd never thought of it. Mum and Dad already love you. Well, who wouldn't?"

Harry didn't know what to say. His mouth hung open in surprise. He quickly closed it and then asked his best mate and oldest friend, "You'd really be...alright with it?"

Ron's ears turned a little red, but he answered; "I'm not saying I think you should get married now, but after all this is over? Yeah, I think I'd be alright with it. I just didn't expect the idea to suddenly drop in my lap today..."

He could only nod. Harry understood all too well what Ron was talking about. The idea had been dropped on him rather suddenly too. He should have just let Hermione keep the note. At that moment, Harry resolved that next time something like that happened, he would just leave well enough alone. It wasn't worth the aggravation of having the entire house in an uproar over something like that. Things were hard enough already. They didn't need anything to make it worse.

Dinner was ready not long after this conversation. Harry and Ron got up and went in to set the table. The two girls had prepared a rich French Onion soup and served it in tureens with slices of sharp Cheddar cheese and thin wedges of fresh apples. It smelled absolutely delicious.

Just as they were tucking in, there came a very loud "POP!" from the direction of the door. Before anyone else could do more than blink, Harry was on his feet with his wand in his hand. He had look of grim determination about him as he left the kitchen and went into the hall that led downstairs to the entry way.

Ron followed him just moments later tailed by Hermione and Ginny. Their faces were mixtures of curiosity, fear, and concern. When they caught Harry up at the base of the stairs, he was already ducking out of sight of the door. His wand pointed towards it and his hand was steady.

Slowly the door opened and in stumbled Mrs. Weasley followed by Mr. Weasley and Remus Lupin. Mrs. Weasley managed to choke out a half scream as the Dust-Dumbledore formed out of thin air, raising its long, bony finger and crying out in Mad-Eye's voice; "SEVERUS SNAPE?"

"It was not we who killed you, Albus," Remus said quietly.

There was something about the look of all of them that brought Harry up short. Something wasn't right. In fact, by looking at the three of them, standing there recovering from the tongue tie jinx, it was clear that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

For once, the portrait of Walburga Black didn't fly open and cast epithets at Grimmauld Place's newest guests and Harry was intensely grateful. Still, he knew that it would be unwise to take any risks.

"Stay where you are! Identify yourselves!"

Remus looked at Harry and nodded at him, "I am Remus John Lupin. I was your father's friend and your teacher at Hogwarts. Your mother, Lily, was one of the kindest people I've ever known. It was I and Bill Weasley who were here two nights ago, and when I was here we talked about what had happened when you left the wedding party. You told me about how Ginny came to be with you and how you were nearly caught by two Death Eaters whose memories you Obliviated."

"Good enough," Harry said looking at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"I am Molly Weasley. Mother to Ginny and Ronald Weasley. I made you sausages on your first morning in the Burrow the night my son's Fred, George, and Ron went to rescue you from your Aunt and Uncle's home in Little Winging. Later that morning you helped them de-gnome the garden," Mrs. Weasley's voice sounded wrong. It was trembling. The hair on the back of Harry's neck started to stand up when he heard it, a feeling of dread filled his stomach.

"And you?" Harry said turning to Mr. Weasley.

"I am Arthur Weasley. It was you who tipped me off to Dark Magic artifacts that Lucius Malfoy was keeping hidden in his home. I also followed up on another tip you gave me regarding Draco Malfoy. You were the one who caused me to be rescued after seeing You-Know-Who's snake attack me in the Department of Mysteries. It was also me that warned you about Sirius Black and the fact he was looking for you when he escaped from Azkaban,"

Harry lowered his wand, "Sorry, I had to check," he mumbled.

Remus looked long and hard at Harry for a moment. "Yes, you most certainly did." He sighed.

"Mom?" It was Ginny, her voice was fearful.

Harry immediately saw why. Mrs. Weasley was as white as a sheet and was being held on her feet now by Mr. Weasley and Lupin.

"Harry, may we?" Remus asked him nodding towards the stairs and the kitchen.

"Err...Of course," Harry stepped out of the way. He noticed that Ron's face was now a perfect mirror of Ginny's. Both were clouded with worry and more than a little fear.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked quietly.

"There's been a terrible accident," Mr. Weasley informed them. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. Something had happened, Harry knew it. Something had gone horribly, desperately wrong.

By the time they got into the kitchen, Ginny and Hermione's eyes were watering and Ron's didn't look far behind. Mrs. Weasley was a mess and Mr. Weasley was looking more pale and withdrawn than Harry had ever seen him. Even Remus didn't look much better. He was pale, worn, and looked exhausted.

"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Harry, do you have any of that Mead we sent you?" Lupin nodded towards Ron and Ginny's parents who were slumped over in their seats. Mrs. Weasley was still sobbing and now Mr. Weasley had slow tears running down his cheeks.

Hermione ran to get the mead and some glasses. Ginny however was close to losing it; "Would somebody please tell me what the Bloody Hell is wrong?" she shrieked.

Harry looked at Hermione who was staring at Ginny and her parents. Remus took a deep breath to answer her, but it was Mr. Weasley who spoke; his voice barely under control.

"It's Charlie and Percy. They're gone; dead. It happened just a few hours ago...at the Ministry..."

"WHAT?" Ron exploded.

Ginny ran forward and into her parents arms. Ron was backing up to the wall shaking his head vigorously. "No, it can't be! How? How did it happen?"

Harry was in shock. He'd always liked Percy least of all of Ron's brothers, but that didn't mean he wished him any harm. Charlie though was very likable and in the short time that Harry had known him, he'd developed something of a fondness for him. He didn't know what to think or how to feel.

"I can only tell you what I know, or what has been told to me," Mr. Weasley went on in answer to Ron's question, "Charlie had gone to the Ministry to try and talk some sense into Percy. As near as we can tell, they were talking rather loudly and got the attention of some Death Eaters that were nearby; probably looking for Muggle-borns or members of the Order. They recognized Charlie right away and a fight broke out. Percy, to his credit, tried to help Charlie. They both ended up getting killed in that fight. No one knows exactly who it was that killed them; the Death Eaters were wearing their masks."

Mr. Weasley finished this last statement with a sob. Mrs. Weasley started sobbing even harder. Ron, unable to take anymore, ran forward and joined his family who accepted him quickly. It was a sad scene in the kitchen that evening.

Remus sat at the table, his untouched Mead before him. His head was bowed his eyes staring into his lap. Hermione had moved to where the Weasley's were, doing her best to comfort them all. Her eyes were as wet as theirs. Her pain, though shared through those she cared about, was just as real.

Feeling like an intruder to a private, family moment, Harry didn't know what to do. He waved his wand and conjured some of the hot soup into bowls and laid it out on the table though he doubted anyone would want to eat it. Not knowing what else to do, Harry started quietly walking past the grieving family to leave the kitchen. He would leave them to their sorrow and grief.

A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, the grip was like a steel trap. Harry looked down and noticed that the hand belonged to Ginny. He stopped and looked down at her as she pulled him into first her own arms, and then into the family's embrace.

"You too, Harry," Mrs. Weasley snuffled almost unintelligibly, "Yes, you should be a part of this. You're family,"

Harry didn't know what to say. He was feeling more and more awkward as Ron's family was clutching onto him and holding him. It was only in that moment that Harry started to recognize that the Weasley's had accepted him as one of their own. He was beginning to understand that in many ways, they always had.

"W-what about Fred and G-George?" Ginny asked suddenly. Harry looked up and saw the fear in her voice mirrored in Ron's eyes.

"They're fine. They're with Bill and Fleur right now. We came here tonight because we felt...well...I'm sure you understand," Remus said.

And Harry did understand. He knew immediately that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would want to see their youngest children. They would want to be the ones to break the news and to be there for them. They would want to grieve together as a family.

Resolve filled Harry in that moment there in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Charlie and Percy's deaths would mean something. It would not be in vain that they died. He would see to it. He would bring down Voldemort and end the need for more moments like this one. He would even do it alone if he had to.

After a time the embrace loosened and Harry was able to stand up. He nodded at Ron and saw Ginny looking at him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley picked up and began to nurse their glasses of Mead.

"I'll go make up some beds for tonight," Hermione said quietly as she left the room. Harry watched her leave, she still had tears in her eyes.

"If you think this changes anything," Ginny said getting his attention and looking directly at Harry, fierce determination in her eyes, "it doesn't,"

"No, it doesn't," Harry whispered back to her with an equally intense gaze of his own, "I didn't expect that it would."

Remus looked up at Harry and Ginny speculatively for a moment. His grey eyes studied them closely. He looked like he was going to say something, then shook his head. It would wait, whatever it was.

Mrs. Weasley took a sip of the mead, swallowed it, then took another, longer one. Everyone else seemed to take this as their cue to do the same. When they had finished, Mr. Weasley took the flagon of mead and poured himself and his wife another glass.

They sat quietly together for a spell, leaning on one another for support. Ginny left her parents embrace to be held by Harry alone. For a long moment, no one seemed to notice. Then Mr. Weasley looked up at them and smiled sadly. Harry got the distinct impression that the Weasley patriarch approved of him being with Ginny. It was oddly reassuring to know this.

Hermione came back into the kitchen now and picked up her glass of mead. She sat down next to Ron and sipped it slowly. When Ron didn't acknowledge her presence immediately, she reached out and put her hand on his arm and Ron put his hand on hers.

"The beds are ready," Hermione said quietly.

"Thank you, Hermione," Remus said, acknowledging her efforts. Then he turned towards Harry, "Thank you too, Harry. This food smells wonderful," Turning towards Ron and Ginny's Mum and Dad; "Molly, Arthur, why don't you try and eat something. It will help you sleep,"

"Oh, Remus," Mrs. Weasley sniffled quietly, "I don't think I could,"

"Come on, Molly, just a few bites. You've hardly eaten anything today, and this Onion Soup smells wonderful." Mr. Weasley coaxed his wife.

She nodded and started to tuck in. Mr. Weasley followed her as did Remus. Harry and Ginny, still holding on to each other, stood their watching them. Ginny lay her head on his shoulder. Harry pulled her in tighter. It felt wrong that this was the only thing he could do. The only comfort he could give. That started his mind thinking along another track; How many more families would be broken like this? How many more had to die?

A strong need to leave overcame Harry. He wanted to be out there, doing something, anything, to bring down Voldemort. The next step in that task, having a way to destroy the Horcruxes when they found them, clearly lay ahead. They only had to go about it.

Hogwarts, that was the key. The Basilisk lay dead in the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets. It's teeth would do for destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes. They just needed to get into the school and get them. Maybe, if the opportunity presented itself, they could look around the school to see if there were any Horcruxes around that they might find. A plan started forming in Harry's mind.

That night, when everyone had eaten and the last of the bottle of Mead had been consumed, everyone went to bed. Harry and Ron continued to share the room they used as did Ginny and Hermione. Hermione had made up a bed for Remus in the bedroom that had belonged to Regulus Black. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were back in the room that they used when the Order of the Phoenix occupied Grimmauld Place back during Harry's fifth year at school.

After they changed into pajamas, Harry and Ron climbed into bed. Sleep was a long time coming for both of them. Neither one of them spoke; each was lost in their own thoughts. Harry reckoned that Ron was probably thinking about and missing his brothers. He knew that the deaths of those two weighed heavily on his own mind.

It was because of this that Harry was lying there in the dark, his hands behind his head, his mind working out the details of the plan that had begun forming earlier. He knew what it was he wanted to do. He knew roughly what it would take to be able to accomplish it. Knowing that a large majority of the people he loved most in the world, loved more than any other and the three that he loved most of all, were all lying together in Grimmauld Place tonight gave Harry the motivation he needed.

While he waited for Ron to finally go to sleep, Harry refined his plan. When at last Ron's snores started coming from his bed, Harry silently got up. Dressing quickly and quietly, it only took Harry a few moments to get himself ready for what it was he was going to do. He made sure he had his wand, his Marauder's Map, and his Invisibility Cloak then as silently as a whisper, he left the room he shared with Ron and went downstairs.

Once at the bottom, he turned towards the door when another idea struck him. He detoured towards the kitchen where the trunk, crates, and boxes that were sent by Bill and Remus were being kept. Harry knew exactly what he was looking for and precisely where to find it.

In the kitchen Harry set his things down on the table and turned towards the trunk. He opened it up and removed some of the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. He had no clue what he would be facing at Hogwarts, but there was no sense in not being as prepared as he could possibly be. Harry stashed the powder he'd taken in one of the pockets of his robes.

Turning back towards the table, Harry was picking up his wand and his Invisibility Cloak when he heard a noise coming from upstairs. Hurriedly he turned and ducked out of the kitchen and down the hall. Silent as a cat, he ran down the hall. When he came to the door, Harry paused only long enough to put on his Invisibility Cloak before opening it and stepping outside. It was at that moment he realized his Marauder's Map was sitting on the table in the kitchen.

Harry was at a loss. He couldn't go back into the house without alerting everyone that he was up to something. However if he didn't have his map, he'd have no way of knowing who might be stalking the halls of the school. He really didn't want to chance an encounter with anyone if he could help it.

With a deep sigh from under the Invisibility Cloak, Harry set off down the street. The Death Eaters, still encamped across the street from Grimmauld Place, seemed none the wiser to his presence. Harry took that as a good omen, however he couldn't shake the feeling that he was really setting himself up for trouble by not having the Marauder's Map.

He also knew beyond any shadow of a doubt, that when he returned to Grimmauld Place that he would have a lot of people mad at him, not to mention a lot of explaining to do. Harry felt it was worth the risk. No one would be expecting him to show up at Hogwarts in the middle of the night. No one would be looking for him to be alone. In fact, Harry felt certain that the Death Eaters would be celebrating the deaths of the two Weasley brothers as much as he was mourning it.

An idea crossed Harry's mind in that moment. He knew it was reckless and stupid, but at the moment that was exactly what he felt like being; reckless and stupid. Under the concealment of the Invisibility Cloak and confident in what it was he was going to do, Harry turned and crossed the street to the same side that the Death Eaters were on.

Stealing up on them like a mouse trying to sneak past a hungry cat, Harry got up very close to them. He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the two men who were lounging on the sidewalk, in a stupor from lack of sleep.

"Imperio" Harry whispered at them. Their faces blanked and the two men stood still. Waving his wand and gesturing down the way, Harry gave both Death Eaters a very strong impression that they had been ordered to follow a muggle to his home in Devon. They set out on foot tracking a muggle that no one else but them could see.

Satisfied with himself for the moment, Harry turned and started walking down the street again. He figured he would have about four hours to get into Hogwarts, get the fangs from the Basilisk skeleton in the Chamber of Secrets, and get back to Grimmauld Place before his absence would be discovered. When he was a few hundred paces down the street, Harry ducked into a side alley and Apparated to Hogsmeade. He felt hopeful that this plan would work. Even though he still couldn't shake the sense of dread that wanted to overwhelm him.


	9. When Harry met Voldemort

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **My apologies for any errors or issues with this chapter. I was only able to do some rudimentary editing before I decided to just post it. The next chapter will be a little more cleanly edited when posted. Thanks.

**Chapter 9**

_Ginny_ knew that something didn't feel quite right the moment her eyes opened. She also had a funny feeling that whatever it was that was wrong, would have something to do with Harry. Where that feeling came from, she didn't know. But she would have bet her wand on it.

Her sleep last night had been fitful and sporadic at best. She tossed and turned all night but the images of her brothers and how they died kept popping up in her mind every time she closed her eyes. Now her eyes were open again and this time she knew that there would be no trying to go back to sleep. The fact that she was now starting to worry about Harry wasn't helping anything.

Getting out of bed, she thought she heard a noise coming from downstairs. It only took a moment to throw on some clothes and then leave the room. Years of experience living with her family had taught her how to move around quietly and not disturb anyone. She was thankful for this now as she left Hermione sleeping in the bed next to hers. Except she forgot the board that squeaked in the hall just a few short steps outside the room. Ginny froze in place when she stepped on it.

As she paused she stopped to listen. Someone was still moving around downstairs. They were in the kitchen and after the feeling she had when she woke up, she would bet it was Harry. Curious to know what it was that he was doing up so early, Ginny started moving slowly down the hall. As she did, she heard the front door open and shut again. Harry, or whoever it was down there, had left.

Why would Harry leave? That didn't seem right. Suddenly Ginny was unsure of the inkling she'd had when she woke up. Maybe it was her dad, or even Remus. Either one of them leaving the house early in the morning wouldn't be too surprising. Her Dad might need to talk to Bill and Fleur or someone from the Ministry. Remus had to be missing Tonks. It was probably one of them.

Giving up on trying to be silent, Ginny just went downstairs. Maybe she could start a pot of tea heating or something. Or breakfast. Her Mom would probably enjoy not having to cook for everyone again, especially with recent events.

Suddenly the pain over the loss of her brothers was overwhelming. Knowing that Harry would understand, Ginny went to find him in the room he shared with Ron. Only he wasn't there.

Suddenly curious to know if it really was Harry who had left after all, Ginny quickly searched the house from attic to basement leaving alone the rooms she knew to be occupied by Ron, Hermione, her parents, and Remus. They were empty. The last room searched, the kitchen, was where she at last had it confirmed that not only had Harry left; he had done so with a purpose.

Picking up the Marauder's Map from off the table she took out her wand and touched it to the map. She was about to give the incantation when she stopped suddenly. The Trace! How could she have forgotten? That stupid, blasted, bloody Trace! Damn it! Ginny thought.

Even though it was early, Ginny took the map and ran as fast as she could up the stairs and into the room she shared with Hermione. Throwing open the door she dove onto Hermione's bed and was immediately shaking her awake.

"Ginny! What is it? What's wrong?" Hermione asked sitting up and reaching for her wand.

Tears were running down Ginny's cheeks but she didn't care. What she cared about was that Harry had run off and left them all behind. How could he do this now? After everything that had happened; what was he thinking?

"Hermione! It's Harry!"

"Harry? Ginny, slow down. What happened?"

"He's gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean, 'gone?' Where has he gone?" Hermione asked with a look of growing worry. This was not Ginny's usual behavior.

Tossing the Marauder's Map in Hermione's lap, Ginny said; "I think he went to Hogwarts. I found this on the table downstairs!"

"You did? Are you sure he's gone? Maybe he's upstairs or something..."

Ginny was shaking her head before Hermione could even finish her statement.

"He's not, I checked. He's nowhere in the house. Besides, when I woke up I heard someone downstairs in the kitchen. They left soon after that and I heard them use the front door. It had to be him! Hermione, we have to find him and stop him!"

"Let's go get Ron," Hermione said getting up. Ginny waited impatiently while she got dressed and together the ran into the room Ron and Harry shared.

"Ron! Wake up!" Hermione said as soon as the door was shut.

"Huh? Whazzhappinin?" Ron groaned tiredly.

Thinking quickly, Hermione turned towards the door of the room with her wand pointing at it, "Muffliato!" She whispered. Ginny nodded in agreement when she realized what it was that Hermione was doing.

Upon seeing this, Ron's eyes opened wider and he suddenly became much more awake. "What's going on?" Ron whispered harshly.

"It's Harry," Hermione began. Ron's eyes looked towards his bed while Ginny launched into her tale of what she'd heard and suspected.

"And he's not in the house?" Ron confirmed.

"No! I checked, he's nowhere to be found!"

"Could he have gotten to Hogwarts by now?" Ginny asked.

"One way to find out," Hermione was now pointing her wand at the map and gave the incantation; "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good,"

Immediately the map started forming on the old parchment. Details of the castle started filling in. Ron and Ginny helped Hermione spread out the map on Ron's bed. Together they all stared at it; desperately looking for the footprints that would belong to Harry. They saw the footprints of Mr. Filch and Hagrid which they expected. Then they saw some footprints they did not expect.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed loudly, "That's Snape! In the Headmaster's Office! What the hell is he doing there?"

"Look there, who are the Carrows?" Ginny wanted to know. Two sets of footprints were visible moving towards the dungeons of the school. They said Alecto and Amycus Carrow.

"Death Eaters," Hermione said knowledgeably, "They were in that fight last year. The one where...well...you remember,"

Then another named formed on the map. This one was one that caused first Hermione, then Ginny and Ron's eyes to widen in absolute horror. Little foot prints belonging to Tom Riddle appeared and were accompanied by others titled: Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Antonin Dolohov.

A cold feeling of dread and mind numbing fear filled Ginny's chest. If Harry was indeed going to Hogwarts, now, alone, he was walking into some of the most feared Death Eaters that Voldemort employed and with them was Voldemort himself!

Ginny's eyes started watering and she couldn't stop them. She had just lost her brothers. They hadn't even been buried yet and now it looked like she might lose Harry too.

Moving now to Harry's bed, Ginny sat there frozen. Her eyes were locked on the map. There was no solace in seeing that the faces of both Ron and Hermione's reflected what she was feeling.

"We have to wake up Remus," Hermione whispered faintly.

"What? No! We promised Harry!" Ginny cried.

"Ginny, you do know who that is don't you?" Ron pointed at the map, "That's bloody You-Know-Who there!"

"I know that!" Ginny argued,

Hermione tried to placate her, "Ginny, we don't have to tell him everything, but this is..."

"...More than we can deal with alone," Ron finished with a deep sigh, "What in blazes was he thinking anyway?"

"That's just it, he wasn't thinking. He probably had a lot on his mind. Maybe he feels guilty over what happened to Charlie and Percy..."

"What? Why would he do that? He had nothing to do with it!"

"Ginny, haven't you noticed? Harry seems to feel as if most of what has happened since You-Know-Who came back is his fault. I doubt he would feel any differently about this," Hermione explained. Her features were gaunt and forlorn. She looked like she felt as helpless as Ginny did.

"Fine then, wake Remus..." Ginny said in defeat. She felt like she was betraying Harry. It angered her that he would do something to cause her to have to do this.

"First, lets decide what we're telling him. He's going to want to know why Harry would just suddenly go to Hogwarts in the middle of the night. It's dangerous out there and more so for Harry than anyone else. Remus will know that Harry must have had a reason for going,"

"So, what do we say to him then?" Ron asked Hermione.

"That's just it Ron, I don't know. Do we just tell him everything?"

"Can we? Can we do that to Harry?" Ginny asked.

"What would you tell him then?" Hermione asked Ginny. She was clearly frustrated. They all were. And the situation was only becoming more tense the longer Harry was gone.

"Let's just go and wake Remus. We'll tell him what we know and what we suspect. We can see what questions he asks us and decide then what we can tell him. We don't have to volunteer anything. But Harry's going to need help! We have to help him!" Ginny cried.

"Fine, lets go wake Remus," Hermione agreed. She was near tears and her eyes kept glancing worriedly back at the map. Neither Ron nor Ginny looked any happier than she did.

They opened the door to Harry and Ron's room and there was confronted with a sight that brought them up short in surprise. Standing there in his rumpled and shabby clothes was none other than Remus Lupin, the very man that they were on their way to see.

"Forgive me for startling you. When I didn't hear any sounds coming from this room after all the stomping around, I got a little worried..." Remus started until he saw the looks on their three faces; "What's wrong? Where's Harry?"

Almost as one all three of them launched into the discussion as to where they thought Harry was. Through it all Remus listened to them as he steered the young people through the corridor, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. As he did this, his face grew more and more concerned.

"Calm down, I can't understand everything if you're all speaking at once. Now, what's going on? Hermione?" Remus turned and looked at her.

"It's Harry, he's gone!" Hermione whispered in terror.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Remus asked, his eyes looking at the three of them, "I think you had better tell me what's going on, one at a time."

Hermione turned around and looked at Ginny, "Why don't you start first?"

Ginny nodded and sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She began to tell what she knew and what she suspected. She managed to tell Remus everything about how she woke up, heard someone downstairs, went down to investigate and found the Marauder's Map. She went on to explain how she searched the entire house before waking Hermione and together they went to wake Ron.

"So..." Ron said picking up the story from here with help from Hermione and his sister, "...we opened up the map and got it working. That's when we saw this!"

Ron was pointing to the Headmaster's office. Now the little footprints of Severus Snape were accompanied by those of Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Dolohov, and Bellatrix Lestrange. Soon they saw the prints of the Carrows heading towards the Headmaster's Office as well.

Remus paled as he looked at the map. He let out a heavy sigh. "So it's true, they're putting in Snape as Headmaster of Hogwarts. There were rumors that it was going to happen,"

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked at each other fearfully before turning their eyes on Lupin. Hermione was the first to speak.

"S-snape? As Headmaster?" She squeaked.

"I find it just as distasteful as you do, Hermione. Especially after the events of this last spring. Hogwarts in the hands of the Death Eaters? This is bad. Very bad. But it still doesn't prove that Harry went to Hogwarts, does it?"

"But Professor," Hermione started to argue, "Why else would he sneak out in the night and take his map with him?"

"We need to try and find him!" Ginny and Ron said almost as one.

"Did he take his Invisibility Cloak?" Remus asked.

Everyone looked silently at each other for a minute, then Hermione ducked out of the room. Remus continued speaking,

"If he took that, then maybe Voldemort and those Death Eaters won't know Harry's there. The unfortunate side of that is if he has James' cloak, then no one else will be able to find him either. And right now it would be very dangerous to send someone to look for him with Voldemort himself right there in the castle,"

"Will he show up on the map if he's wearing the cloak?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, he will. The map isn't fooled by things like Invisibility Cloaks, Polyjuice Potions, or even Animagi...Ron, do you remember?" Remus asked him. Hermione re-entered the kitchen at this point, looking more concerned than ever.

Ron was rubbing his leg where it had broken when he answered quietly, "Yeah, I remember,"

"Harry's cloak is gone. It's not in his room, the Cloak Room, or anywhere else in the house,"

"Well, there's that question answered anyway," Remus said his voice sounding melancholy. Then he looked at Ron and the two girls inquisitively, "We need to think this through. Why would Harry want to go to Hogwarts in the middle of the night?"

The three of them traded looks before Ron answered, "He was looking for something,"

"Oddly enough, Ron, I'd deduced that much for myself. What is it he's looking for that he feels he needs to find at Hogwarts? Is he visiting Professor Dumbledore's grave?"

It was Ginny who answered him, "No, we don't think so..."

"This has something to do with that task that Dumbledore asked him to do, doesn't it?" Lupin asked shrewdly.

They nodded their heads quietly, their eyes on the floor.

"I wondered what they were up to when I Dumbledore mentioned that he was giving Harry private lessons last year...Yes, he advised some of us in the Order about that," Lupin said in answer to the questioning eyes of Ron and Hermione. "Though he wouldn't tell anyone, not even Severus or Minerva, why he was doing it. He only said that it was essential at this point that he take a more personal hand in Harry's education,"

"What do we do, Professor?" Hermione asked, tears forming now in her eyes. It was clear that she was deeply worried.

"For now, there's not much we can do. Harry has chosen to go off by himself and until he shows up here," Lupin said putting his hand on the Map, "Then we have no idea where he is. Still..."

"Still what, Professor?" Ginny asked, she felt close to panicking. Harry was gone. They had told Professor Lupin about it and he seemed reluctant to do anything. She was beginning to think that Trace or no Trace that maybe she should go and try and find Harry if no one else was going to. Except...after what just happened to Fred and George, she couldn't just leave her parents like that. Not just yet, anyway.

Ron and Hermione were beginning to look mutinous. Seeming to understand this, Lupin said, "There are a few still left in and around Hogwarts who can be trusted. I can send them a warning to be on the look-out for Harry. Right now, I think that's the best we can do," Remus took out his wand, mumbled something short and direct and flicked it towards the door. A silvery ball shot out of it and disappeared through the hall and into thin air. It was easy now to recognize that Remus had just sent a talking Patronus to someone in or near Hogwarts.

"What about Harry? We need to help him!" Ginny cried, she was on her feet and looked ready to bolt.

"Ginny, your parents are sleeping upstairs right now. How do you think they would react if they woke up and found that we were all gone with only a note left behind? They're going to be upset enough as it is when they learn of this and what Harry's done,"

"But Professor!"

"But nothing, Ginny. Look, did it ever cross your minds," Remus said patiently to Ginny but his eyes taking in all of them, "That maybe Harry feels the loss of your brothers too? Maybe this is his way of trying to do something about that,"

"Bloody damn foolish way to go about it then," Ron exclaimed.

"I would not be one to argue with you about that," Remus agreed, "But that still doesn't change the fact he did it, for what ever reasons he must have. I trust Harry. Therefore I also trust that he must have a very good reason for doing this, as foolhardy as it seems..."

"As foolhardy as what seems?" A gaunt looking Arthur Weasley asked as he came into the kitchen. He was a man who looked like he had seen better days. His hair was limp, he had bags under his red-rimmed eyes, and he looked very much like he needed more sleep than he must have had.

The kitchen went quiet as he came in, "Is there any tea?" He asked looking towards the stove. Immediately Hermione jumped up and began the process of brewing some.

"Arthur," Remus said consolingly, "How did you sleep? How is Molly?"

"She's up and getting dressed. I don't think either of us slept very well though. I know I didn't. What was all that shouting and tromping about that was going on?" Mr. Weasley said tiredly. His eyes looked around the room and finally fell upon the Map still laying open on the table. His color paled as he turned to his son and asked, "Where's Harry?"

"Harry is not here just at the moment," Remus answered for Ron.

"Where is he? Is that what all the fuss is about? How long has he been gone?"

"We don't know where he is, Dad," Ginny said as tears formed in her eyes, "But we think he's gone to Hogwarts,"

"He's what?" What little color that was in Mr. Weasley's face drained away, "He can't do that! Right now Harry is the single most wanted wizard in all of Great Britain! If they put Severus Snape in as Headmaster like the rumors are suggesting..."

"It's more than just rumor, Arthur. Look here," Remus interrupted quietly as he pointed at the Map.

"What's this?"

"Dad, this is the Marauder's Map. It belongs to Harry. It shows the entire school, the grounds, secret passages, everything..." Ron explained,

"And right now, if Harry has indeed gone to Hogwarts, he is in exceedingly great danger. Voldemort himself is there, along with Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and a few other Death Eaters," Remus finished dejectedly.

"Merlin's beard, Harry, what have you done?" Mr. Weasley asked no one in particular, he put his face in his hands for a minute before pulling it away and wiping at his eyes. Upon seeing her father doing this, Ginny's own tears along with those from Hermione spilled over. Even Ron looked like he needed something to hold on to if he was going to remain standing for much longer.

Standing up, Mr. Weasley wiped his eyes again before leaving the kitchen, "I better go warn Molly. She's not going to like this. Harry is just another son to her, well to us both really...this is not good,"

The kitchen door swung shut and no one spoke a word. Only a few minutes later a shrill noise could be heard coming from upstairs. Remus closed his eyes as fresh tears fell.

"I guess Dad just told Mum..." Ron whispered. His eyes were locked on the map but he wasn't studying it very closely.

Staring at the map just like Ron was, Ginny's mind was elsewhere. She could hear her mother's horrified and frantic vocalizations coming from upstairs. Less easily she could hear her father trying to calm her. But even these sounds didn't penetrate to where Ginny's mind was. Her mind was with Harry.

What had he been thinking? What had he been trying to do? What was he doing now? Was he okay? Why wasn't anyone doing any more to try and help him? We should all be trying to find him! Ginny thought rebelliously. To Hell with this standing around here doing nothing, he's going to need help.

Ginny's heart started racing as fast as her mind. She was loathe to just continue sitting there in the kitchen. Then something finally happened that caught Ginny's attention and had it riveted on the map like nothing else could. Harry's name and two little footprints had just appeared on the map.

"That's Harry there, look!" Ginny exclaimed. For the moment all thoughts of running out to try and find him were abandoned. Her eyes were glued to Harry's name and his footprints.

"What? Where?" Hermione whirled around to see where Ginny's eyes were looking. Remus and Ron too had found and were following Harry on the map.

"Why did he come over the lake? Why not through the tunnel in Honeydukes?" Ron wondered.

"Something must be happening in Hogsmeade that he couldn't get into Honeydukes," Hermione answered him.

Sure enough, over at the boathouse were Harry's footprints as they climbed out of the boat and began to slowly but steadily make their way up to the castle proper.

Only seconds later a wild looking Molly Weasley entered the kitchen, closely followed by a harried looking Mr. Weasley.

"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked them all.

"We don't know, Mom," Ron answered her looking downcast.

"Do we know where he is yet?" Mr. Weasley asked Lupin.

By way of answering, Lupin only pointed at the map. Again all eyes in the room turned to see where Harry was at within the castle. They followed him closely as he walked slowly up the stairs and into the castle proper. There was a tense moment when Harry was narrowly missed by the poltergeist, Peeves, just near the dungeons where the stairs from the boathouse led.

"I can't take this!" Mrs. Weasley started crying, "Arthur, I can't lose another son!"

Mr. Weasley held his wife against his shoulder while he watched with the rest of them Harry's actions on the map. "Where is he going?" Mr. Weasley asked when it was clear that Harry was headed up the main staircase.

"The Chamber of Secrets," Hermione whispered as Harry approached the second floor girls bathroom and went inside. The ghost of Moaning Myrtle was clearly visible in her toilet stall, and she seemed to be ignoring Harry.

Eventually the footprints belonging to Harry and his tiny little label disappeared.

"He's inside," Ron whispered.

"The Chamber of Secrets?" Mr. Weasley asked the three of them, his eyes going wide, "Again? What's in there that's so important that Harry would risk his life to get it?"

No one said anything for a long moment.

"Ron? Hermione? I think we need to know what's going on here," Mr. Weasley said sternly. Ginny looked at the floor. This kind of directive was unusual for her father.

"Arthur, there are some things that Dumbledore asked them to do. I get the sense that this task was for them alone..."

No one got a chance to argue against Remus' point. The front door slammed in the next moment, and the sounds of "SEVERUS SNAPE!" was heard only slightly muffled by the kitchen door.

"We didn't kill you Professor," came the sound of Bill's voice.

Ginny was one of the first out the door, when she was nearly strangled by someone grabbing the collar of her shirt from behind. "WAIT!" It was her father.

Arthur Weasley and Remus Lupin came forward then with their wands raised and held steady. They were pointed to a trio of tall red headed men who bore a striking resemblance to each other.

"Identify yourselves, please,"

Before anyone could answer Remus' order, the curtains in front of Mrs. Black flew open as she started bellowing out insults against everyone in the room.

There was a movement beside Ginny that made her flinch back when she realized that it was her mother whipping out her wand angrily. There was a manic gleam in her eyes.

"CONFRINGO!" Mrs. Weasley cried blasting the portrait of Walburga Black off the wall. The portrait shattered and a loud resounding scream was heard as Mrs. Black uttered her last curses at them.

"Wow, Mum, that old house elf of Harry's is going to be upset!" Ron observed.

"Shush," Arthur said as he turned back to the men who looked like his sons.

"Dad, it's us," Fred tried to explain. However it was Bill who held him back.

"My name is William Weasley, up until recently I was a curse breaker for Gringott's bank. The last time you saw me, you asked me to give Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione your love,"

"That's not enough, anyone could guess that." Arthur told him.

"We just received not long ago a Patronus from Remus here asking us to come quickly because Harry was in trouble. When we were here last, there was discussion about learning how to use that spell among others. This was two nights ago,"

"That will do," Remus said lifting his wand.

"Clean up that mess!" Mrs. Weasley ordered Fred and George as she turned back towards the kitchen.

The group followed her, including Fred and George just moments later. Hermione poured the tea that she had made earlier while it was explained again what it was that was happening.

"Harry went to Hogwarts? By himself? Is he mental?" Fred asked.

"No mate, I'm sure he just thought he'd go for a little stroll by the lake," George answered his brother, "Lovely evening for it, the moon is almost full too."

"George, this is no time for jokes," Bill chided him.

"No, it's not. How could he do this?" Mrs. Weasley asked. No one seemed to have any answers.

Everyone was at the table now staring at the map. Ron had pointed out to them where the Chamber of Secrets was and now there wasn't a person in the room whose eyes weren't on the map. Ginny thought it was odd that even her mother, who liked to keep busy when things were tense, sat at the table with everyone else watching the map for some sign of Harry.

As the minutes passed, everyone waited on tenterhooks. Still there was no sign of Harry. The Carrows had met up with Snape, Voldemort, and the other Death Eaters in the Headmaster's office. As long as they stayed where they were and as long as Harry didn't try visiting that office while he was at Hogwarts, then there was reason to hope that he could get into and out of the castle safely.

Things started becoming more tense when the Death Eater's meeting broke up and they left the Headmaster's office. As they left the office in the Headmaster's Tower, the group descended the revolving staircase to exit by the Gargoyle that hid the entry to the office on the third floor. This was just as Harry's footprints and label once again became visible on the map in the girls lavatory.

It all played out in front of they eyes of those watching the map on the table. The only sound that could be heard was that of people breathing. Even this sound stopped when the label depicting Moaning Myrtle left her stall, probably to investigate the noise of Harry leaving, and she must have screamed.

Suddenly Harry's footsteps began moving much faster and those of Voldemort, Snape, and the other Death Eaters stopped in the corridor outside the entry to the Headmaster's office as they started moving in the direction of clearly had to be Moaning Myrtle's screams.

Harry was moving quickly away from the second floor girls bathroom towards the stairs. The Death Eaters were coming down the stairs from the third floor right above him. From below in the dungeons the figure of Argus Filch appeared to be awake and moving. If he kept going the same direction he was, he would intercept Harry as he came up the stairs in that direction.

Even the castle ghosts seemed to know that something was going on. Peeves was only the first to appear. The Fat Friar, Bloody Baron, Gray Lady, and even the Gryffindor House ghost, Nearly Headless Nick all seemed to be converging on the third floor.

Harry seemed to be at a loss. He was frozen halfway down the staircase from the second floor to the first. Ginny held her breath as she watched him turn around and start going back up the staircase, stop at the second floor and move down the corridor towards the classrooms.

It was the Bloody Baron this time that Harry missed as he ducked down a hidden passageway and into another corridor.

By now it must have been clear to the Death Eaters and the ghosts that someone was in the castle who didn't belong. They split up and started searching the castle in smaller groups of two, except for Professor Snape and Voldemort who each searched on their own.

On and on the game of cat and mouse went. Several times Harry must have been within sight of those that were chasing him. Ginny was very thankful at this point that he had his Invisibility Cloak. There was one time where Voldemort himself stood at one end of a long corridor and Harry at the other.

They must have been trying to locate each other or were talking to each other because they were stationary for a minute. The other Death Eaters could be seen roaming the castle, but Harry and Voldemort were still.

Then Harry moved on again very quickly this time. His steps seemed to weave back and forth, almost like he was stumbling. Eventually Harry ended up by the Headmaster's office entry. He remained there for a long period of time.

He must not have seen or heard Snape alone moving up behind him. Ginny was shocked beyond words or even thought when the Gargoyle must have moved aside. Harry was suddenly moving again. This time it was towards the office of the Headmaster. There was only two ways that he could have gained access. Either he guessed the correct password, which seemed very unlikely, or Snape had let Harry in.

"What is Snape getting at?" George asked angrily.

"Snape? What about Harry? Why the hell is he trying to get into Dumbledore's office?"

"The sword of Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.

"What was that?" Mrs. Weasley asked her, her voice stern but not unkind.

"When Harry rescued me from the Chamber of Secrets, he used the Sword of Gryffindor to kill the Basilisk," Ginny explained.

"Yes Ginny, I'm aware of that. Why would Harry need to collect it? He needs to get out of the castle!"

Everyone watched now as Harry entered the office of the Headmaster.

Snape stood outside in the corridor where the Gargoyle was. Then, very soon after Harry began going up the stairs, Voldemort and several of the Death Eaters began moving towards the staircase again.

"NO!" Ron shouted,

"He'll be trapped!" Hermione cried.

"We have to do something!" Fred said looking at Remus and his parents.

"Arthur?" Remus asked.

"Call Kingsley and anyone else that you can think of," Mr. Weasley answered him.

Lupin was bringing his wand up when Ginny, whose stomach felt like it was filled with frozen lead and clinched into a knot shouted, "Look!"

Harry was standing in the middle of the office and he remained still. He was there for what seemed like a very long time. As Harry was still, so was everyone in the room.

"We'll never get there in time," Bill hissed.

The Death Eaters and their leader were now in staircase riding it up to the office. The door opened and only then did Harry move.

It was like some kind of odd dance watching Harry moving around the office, running back and forth. Suddenly his up on a raised portion of the office floor, Harry's figure stopped.

Ginny wanted nothing more than to turn her head and hide her eyes as these events unfolded. She wished now more than ever that she'd woke up sooner, maybe even snuck in to see Harry during the night. Something, anything, that could have prevented this.

When Harry's footprints blinked on the map and disappeared suddenly, she felt her mouth open but no sound came out. The next thing she knew, her mind was reeling and she was collapsed on her knees. Her head was resting on the kitchen floor.

"NO! No! No! No! No! NO!" was the only word that came out of her mouth. She screamed it so loudly and so many times she lost her voice. She could only hear the anguished cries and muffled sobs of everyone else in the room. Next to hers, her mother's cries were the loudest of all. She could even hear her father crying with her.

The one thing that Ginny had dreaded since she fell in love had happened. Harry Potter was no more. He was gone.

_Harry _only had moments to think. When he arrived at Hogsmeade, just like before when he had with Ron, he'd apparated about half a mile outside of the village and had just started walking in. That had been a bad idea.

As soon as Harry got within the boundaries of the little village, a caterwauling noise could be heard the village over. Harry was suddenly grateful he was wearing the Invisibility Cloak. People poured out of the Hog's Head and the Three Broomsticks and into the street.

There were a few tense moments while Harry tried to hide and wait for the noise to pass and the people, it looked like mostly just men in dark cloaks but not really any Death Eaters, decide that Harry couldn't be found and then go back to bed or whatever it was that they had been doing.

Only that wasn't the way that it worked out. One of the men, a chap who seemed to be a little older and maybe a little wiser than the rest, saw Harry's footprints. It was he that led a rather large tracking party and they had very nearly caught up to him.

Several times he tried ducking back into the lane and over to Honeydukes Sweet shop. Except that here there was a Death Eater parked right out in front of it. He was holding his wand ready and his masked head was scanning back and forth looking for the source of the alarm.

Someone Harry had never been able to see had bumped into him on their way by, something in their pocket caught on the cloak and Harry had had to think fast to free the cloak and not get stunned by the Death Eater who had now seen him.

He had been chased through the town and only by the thinnest margins of luck ended up on a track that seemed familiar. Then he realized why. The track was where Hagrid had taken him and all the other first years that day they had gotten off the train, boarded the boats, and ridden in them to Hogwarts.

Rushing down the deserted track, Harry came to a series of docks and a few of them had boats tied to them. Harry took out his wand and untied a boat. Remembering what Hagrid had done way back when he had come to rescue Harry from the Dursley's, Harry tapped his wand on the back of the boat and felt a flood of relief wash over him as the boat started moving away from the dock. It only took a moment to point it towards Hogwarts. This gave Harry a moment to stop and think.

Riding the boat up to the docks by the boat house, Harry had jumped out and then set off at a run to get up into the castle. Ever since he'd left Grimmauld Place and the Marauder's Map on the kitchen table, Harry had not had a good feeling about what it was he had set out to do. Now it was just a matter of getting into the school and getting it done.

He didn't even stop to think right now about how angry and upset the others would be with him for doing this. He didn't care that he had no explanation as to why he went to Hogwarts to retrieve a couple Basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets. He would contend with that later. Right now his only goal was to get into the school and back out again alive.

Harry had to admit that it felt good to be out here doing something. The deaths of Charlie and Percy were by all accounts difficult to bear. Ginny and Ron didn't need to be a part of this. This little chore was something Harry figured he could do himself. Then it would be done and they could take a proper break to grieve for the two Weasley brothers.

It only took a minute or so to be able to sneak into the castle. The entry from the boathouse was close to the dungeons and the door was a little rusty. Harry had a bit of a challenge to get inside quietly. Peeves the poltergeist had come investigating the noise of the door Harry had opened.

Crouching down and ducking low, Harry let Peeves pass on by. He thought it odd that the poltergeist wasn't saying anything. Maybe he wasn't investigating the noise after all.

Once the coast was clear, Harry moved through the corridor to the main staircase. He methodically made his way up the flight of stairs. The entire time he was moving his eyes kept scanning around, looking for any sign of trouble. The castle appeared to be deserted.

Upon reaching the second floor corridor, Harry cautiously navigated his way to the girls bathroom. Quietly as he could, Harry opened the door and stepped inside. He could hear Moaning Myrtle sniffling and blubbering in her stall. Now if only he could open the Chamber and get inside without alerting her that he was there.

Checking back over his shoulder again to make sure Myrtle wasn't moving, Harry whispered the command to open the Chamber. Nothing happened. Closing his eyes he imagined that he was speaking to a small snake that was wrapped around a key he couldn't reach. Again he commanded the snake to open the passageway to the Chamber. This time it worked.

As soon as he could get himself into the chute, Harry climbed inside and began the descent down into the Chamber. The ride this time was quieter, more subdued. But then it would be, Harry thought, this time he was alone and he wasn't running off to face something unknown. He knew exactly what it was that he was after. He knew where it was at. He only had to get it.

When he landed at the bone filled bottom of the Chamber entrance, Harry stood up, brushed himself off, and then set out to find what was left of the Basilisk. Removing the Invisibility Cloak as he walked, Harry folded it up and tucked it into a pocket of his robes. He wouldn't need it down here.

The way to the lair of the Basilisk was much as Harry remembered it. The pile of rocks that Ron had started clearing, was a bit of a sticking point. It took a few minutes to move enough of them that he could squeeze through the hole. Once through, the way was clear.

Harry kept a wary eye out as he moved through the dark and gloomy tunnels. The ground was dry in some places, wet in others. He could hear rats and who knew what else moving around in the darkness; creatures disturbed by his presence. At least this is what he hoped.

It was a little foreboding to be walking through these tunnels alone again. No one waiting for him when he got out. No Dumbledore to rescue him if he couldn't complete his task alone. That was the biggest change. The most difficult to deal with. Hogwarts was different with the Headmaster gone. Harry was suddenly glad that he would not be returning to school for the coming school year.

Feeling nostalgic, Harry reached into the little moleskin bag he carried and removed from it the golden snitch that Dumbledore had given to him in his will. That hadn't been the only gift Harry had been bequeathed. The sword of Gryffindor was also supposed to be his, but the Ministry had forbidden him that.

Even now, the Sword was probably still upstairs in Dumbledore's office...unless the Ministry was keeping it in their possession. That too would not be surprising given that Scrimgeour had the Snitch, the Deluminator, and the book in his possession when he'd brought the bequeathed items to them on Harry's birthday. Maybe if there was time...

"Finally," Harry whispered to himself when he came to the large door that marked the entrance into the Chamber proper. Repeating his exorcise to gain entrance from the girl's bathroom, Harry again ordered the door to open. It did so this time without hesitation.

Once inside the chamber, it wasn't a very long walk to where the skeleton of the Basilisk lie. Not far beyond that was where Harry had confronted Tom Riddle. He had nearly died there. So had Ginny, Harry thought as he went over and stood on the spot, all those years ago, where Fawkes the Phoenix had used his tears to save Harry from the venom of the Basilisk's fangs.

Now, Ginny was safe in Grimmauld Place with Ron, Hermione, Remus, and her Mum and Dad. She would be furious with him for doing this, Harry knew. But it saved them a trip later. It saved her from having to be reminded of this place. It allowed her to spend some time with her parents grieving the loss of her brothers, and it allowed Harry to get out an feel like he was actually doing something about the task Dumbledore had set him before he died.

Dumbledore, Harry thought as he turned back towards the Basilisk skeleton, I wonder how much of what Ron's aunt said was true? Until now, Harry really hadn't allowed himself much time to think about all those horrible things that were said by Rita Skeeter and supported by Ron's wretched Auntie Muriel.

Reaching out Harry began, with great care, prying loose first one, then another Basilisk Fang. While he worked he thought some more about what he'd heard about Professor Dumbledore. Did he have a sister? Why hadn't anything been mentioned to Harry about them both being from Godric's Hollow? Maybe Professor Dumbledore could have told him a little bit about what his parents were like, did it ever cross his mind that as their child, he would want to know?

When the fangs were finally free of the skull of the Basilisk, Harry placed them carefully into the Moleskin bag that Hagrid had given him. It was stretched now to it's limit, but it held.

His mind clouded with thoughts, Harry moved back through the tunnels of the Chamber of secrets and back to the entrance. He absent mindedly took out the Invisibility Cloak and through it over his shoulders. Not really thinking it through as far as what it was he was doing, Harry raised his wand towards the ceiling and said clearly, "Ascendio!"

Immediately Harry's feet left the floor as he was lifted quickly and suddenly up through the tunnel and from there out of the entrance straight into the girls bathroom. Once there he landed heavily on his feet and cried out involuntarily. The sounds of Moaning Myrtle's blubbering stopped suddenly.

"Whose there?" she asked fearfully. She came out of her stall just in time to come face to face with Harry, whose head and one arm were not inside the cloak.

Quickly Harry pulled the cloak back over himself but the damage was done. Moaning Myrtle's screams were loud and piercing. Harry plugged his ears as he ducked out of the bathroom and into the corridor. Cold fear gripped his chest as he heard and recognized the voice of Snape saying,

"Someone is in the castle, get them!"

This was followed almost immediately by Voldemort himself as he ordered, "And when you find them, bring them before me! They will pay dearly for this trespass."

Running full out towards the staircase, Harry made it there and was running down them at full speed. About halfway down the staircase between the second and first floors, Harry stopped. There was the sound of footsteps coming up from the lower levels of the castle!

Thinking quickly now, Harry ran back up the stairs and turned immediately down the corridor towards the classrooms. He was nearly caught almost immediately by the ghost of the Bloody Baron. Ducking down a hidden side corridor quickly, Harry ran for it.

He managed to avoid encounters with both ghosts and Death Eaters as he ran and they chased him down halls, through corridors, up one staircase and down another. He knew that his pursuers could hear his footsteps, but they had no clue where he was. He ducked low as he ran but the stunning spells that were fired in his direction went wide. One suit of armor exploded several feet to Harry's right as he ducked left into yet another hidden passageway.

"Where are they?" called one Death Eater.

"Do you see them?" replied another.

Harry rounded a corner and was several steps down a particularly gloomy hallway when a dark figure disembodied itself from the shadows. Skidding to a stop, Harry froze. He could see the red snake like eyes seemingly glowing in the tiny bit of light that permeated the hall.

"So Harry Potter, we meet again." Hissed Lord Voldemort.

With a flick of his wand, Voldemort yanked Harry's cloak off of him. It was only by the quickest of reflexes that Harry was able to snatch at the cloak, keeping it from flying into Voldemort's hands.

"What are you doing here, Harry? Are you looking for something?" He hissed quietly.

Harry remained silent. His mouth frozen for the moment in fear. Then Harry felt something that he was dreading since he'd learned such a thing was possible. Cold tendrils entered into Harry's mind. Immediately Harry tried to block him, using those Occlumency techniques that he was supposed to have learned with Professor Snape.

A cold, humorless chuckle could be heard from down the hall. "Trying to block _me_ Harry?"

Harry stood there, frozen in fear as the probing tendrils entered Harry's mind again, effortlessly brushing aside Harry's feeble attempts to stop them.

"Ah, yes...the Chamber of Secrets. Basilisk Fangs? Now why would you need Basilisk fangs Harry?"

Before Voldemort could get anymore from Harry's mind, Harry's fingers closed on something that brought hope surging into his heart. Ripping the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder from out of his pocket, he flung it down between him and Voldemort.

Instantly the entire corridor was filled with a chokingly thick black smoke. In that same moment the cold, probing tendrils were removed and Harry backed up the way he had come. An explosion came from next to him shattering the corner wall.

Chunks of stone and mortar whizzed dangerously through the air several of which hit Harry. He felt as much as heard the crunching sound of his arm breaking, his ribs cracking and his skin tearing open. A sudden sharp pain in his head and ringing in his ears told Harry that a chunk of stone had hit him in the head.

Blinded by pain and his vision blurry from his glasses being knocked askew, Harry stumbled and tried not to fall as he drunkenly and desperately tried to make his way to somewhere, anywhere, where he could make his escape.

In a quiet corridor on the third floor, Harry stopped to fix his glasses only to find that they were broken. One of the lenses was shattered and the arm on that same side was gone. He leaned for a moment on the wall to catch his breath and try to assess his injuries. Looking around him to make sure the coast was clear, Harry's eyes landed on a very familiar stone gargoyle. Harry knew where he was. He was in front of the Headmaster's office.

Trying every password he knew, Harry tried to get the gargoyle to move so he could get up and inside the office to safety. Nothing worked. Tiredly and stupidly, with tears of frustration, pain, and rage falling down his cheeks, still nothing worked. Swearing under his breath, he was almost ready to admit defeat. Then the Gargoyle moved aside.

He lost no time in taking advantage of his lucky accident. Harry moved up the revolving stone steps until he got to the office door. Letting himself inside, Harry was greeted by a cacophony of loud vocalizations. But it was a quiet one, a voice that Harry recognized as soon as it said his name, that caught Harry's attention.

"Harry," said the portrait of Professor Dumbledore.

A mixture of relief, anger, love, and frustration went through Harry before he could answer, "Professor, please, I need your help,"

"Indeed I think you do, from the looks of you. Quickly now,"

"Professor, wait!" Harry cried from where he was standing. He couldn't help it. He had so many questions to ask, so many things that he wanted to say. His mind raced to come up with just one of them, he was going to ask about Godric's Hollow when something else came to his mind.

"Harry, now is not the time. We may not have very long. We need to get you out of here, and quickly!"

"Yes Professor, but first, please, I need your help on one other matter. It's important!"

"What could be so important that it would keep you from trying to escape from the very man who has been hunting you every day of the last three years?" Dumbledore asked sadly.

"Professor, we're trying to do what you asked. We have made some progress but there is a complication," Harry started as he glanced around at the other portraits. They were all feigning sleep, but Harry knew from long experience that they were listening.

"A complication? Of what kind?"

"We need to break the Trace on one of us, and it's important that we do so!"

"Harry, you're seventeen now. There can no longer be any Trace on you. Even the Death Eaters cannot break that law,"

"It's not me Professor, there's someone new who has joined us and..."

"Ahh, I see. Harry, listen then,"

There was a sound coming from down below, someone was on the revolving stairs.

Quickly Dumbledore explained to Harry exactly how to break the trace on Ginny. He had just finished when the sounds of people could be heard just outside the office door now. The knob was turning and then the room was filled with Voldemort, Snape, and several Death Eaters.

"Harry, Quickly now!"

Harry started ducking and running around the office as those who had just entered it started shooting various kinds of spells at him. Jets of light brushed by his face, singed his hair, and blinded his eyes.

Harry ended up on the raised dais that overlooked the office and led to the Headmaster's private bedchamber. Harry froze,

"NO! Don't kill him! He's mine!" Voldemort said, his eyes blazing in anger.

"A Portkey Harry!" Dumbledore called from over the desk.

Realizing what Dumbledore was saying Harry looked around for something that he could use. As he did this he remembered inn fifth year, it was a Portkey that Dumbledore had used to get him, Ron, Ginny, and the twins out of the castle to be with their father when the snake attacked him. Dumbledore was reminding him of that. That must mean that, for getting out of the castle at least, a Portkey would work.

Harry pointed his wand at a golden cup that was on a tray in front of him next to a pitcher of water.

"Portus" Harry said weakly. He hoped this would work. He needed to get out of Hogwarts and out of there fast if he was going to live and continue the fight. Reaching out and touching the cup, he felt a sudden sharp, hammering pain in his chest that took his breath away just as the Portkey did it's job. Harry was whisked away from the office and Hogwarts.

In the castle, nothing moved. Voldemort's rage was so terrible to behold that nothing wanted to draw his attention and his wrath with it.

A/N- Already working on the next chapter. It ain't over yet. ;0)


	10. Harry's Return

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **Sorry for the long wait. Had a bit of writer's block and with this chapter especially I had a few things that I needed to make sure I got right. Hope this has been worth the wait. Looking forward to any opinions that you might want to share-Thanks.

**Chapter 10**

_**Ginny**_

Everyone in the kitchen was in shock. The utter horror of what they had just witnessed went beyond description. Ginny was keening her devastation on the floor. Her voice gone from the screams. A silent "NO! NO! NO! NO!" repeating over and over from her lips.

Her mother's cries were loud and anguished as were the quieter, but no less shocked or grief stricken sounds from the others in the room. Ron and Hermione were clinging to each other. Everyone in the room was trying to find some way of expressing their horror, at the unbelievable, unthinkable, thing that they had just witnessed. It seemed that the room was quickly losing its air. No one seemed to be able to breathe.

Then, with a sudden crash and popping sound, Harry appeared in the kitchen clinging fiercely to his wand and a golden cup. Dishes and pans and cups were strewn on the floor as Harry's body tottered into a stack of dinnerware left on a counter top.

It was no sooner that he appeared before he collapsed onto the kitchen floor. The cup he was clutching tightly in his hands with his wand rolled away and came to rest against a table leg. Blood started pooling around Harry where he lay.

At first the noise and sudden reappearance of Harry in their midst startled everyone. Even Ginny, curled on the floor in stunned disbelief, scrambled away from the sudden commotion. That he was so suddenly back with them came as a great surprise to everyone.

No one moved for a moment until the realization that hit them that Harry wasn't just back, but that he was very badly injured.

Hermione's gasp when she realized what had just happened was enough to stir everyone else into action. Ginny had no choice but to move out of the way as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Bill all rushed forward to attend to Harry as the pool of blood around him continued to grow.

"Harry!" Remus shouted in alarm.

"Merlin's Beard, look at him!" The twins observed in hushed whispers, "He's all torn up!"

It was true. As they rolled him over, it was clear that Harry's face and arms bore the brunt of the fight he'd just escaped.

"We need to move him," Mrs. Weasley ordered. Mr. Weasley handed the map they had just been watching to Ron, who was closest to them. Ron, his eyes wide in alarm at the state of his friend, gently took the map his dad had just thrust into his hands.

Together, the four of them gently lifted Harry onto the table. His Invisibility Cloak fell out of his robes. Ginny stared at it for a long moment before she was able to move forward and pick it up. She clutched it to her chest not caring about the blood that was dripping out of it. Her eyes were locked on the man she loved as he lay still and silent on the table before her.

Quickly and efficiently, they removed Harry's robes so that they could assess the damage. It was quickly apparent that it was extensive and severe. Dark bruises and other marks of an intense fight were appearing on his chest and torso. Deep cuts and gashes covered him, each seeping blood. The longer that Harry was on the table, the more the color drained out of him.

"Arthur..." Mrs. Weasley said, her voice quavering.

"I know, Molly, I know," Mr. Weasley said as he glanced sidelong at the younger people in the room.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Bill asked Remus.

"Not for a very long time," Remus said quietly.

"What can we do?" The Twins asked together.

"He needs a Healer," Ginny whispered.

"Yes Dear, he does. Unfortunately we can't just go waltzing into St. Mungo's carrying Harry Potter in our arms looking for one. Not with him being as wanted as he is..." Mrs. Weasley snapped uncharacteristically.

Hermione's eyes were wet as she bent down and picked up a bag off the floor. It had been shoved full and was impossible to open. Ginny was watching her absently. She didn't dare say anything. Not with her parents, brothers, and Lupin all standing there. She did trade terrified looks with Hermione as they looked at the bag and then at Harry. Had it all been worth it?

Through all the ministrations that people were trying to do for him, Harry remained where he lay on the table, unconscious. Suddenly his back arched he started writhing all over. His arms and legs moved and he looked like he was in even more pain than when he'd first arrived within their midst.

"You fools! You let him go!" Harry's voice rasped coldly.

No one in the room could move. Harry continued to squirm and thrash about like he was in great agony. It was Lupin and Mr. Weasley who moved first to try and restrain Harry. His movements were not helping the bleeding. Mrs. Weasley, her wand hand shaking, started trying to mend the wounds one by one.

In a sudden burst of movement, Bill went running for the fireplace. He cast a pinch of the dwindling supply of Floo Powder into the flames and when they turned green he stepped inside them saying; "Shell Cottage!"

While several in the room were curious as to what it was that Bill was doing, no one paid too much attention, their eyes were locked on Harry. He continued trying to move against the arms that held him.

"Fred! George! Hold him!" Mr. Weasley ordered the twins.

Only a moment's hesitation gave them pause before they came forward and tried to assist the people who were trying to restrain Harry. Even Ron, who up to that point had been immobilized by stunned disbelief at the horrific sight of Harry all covered in blood and gashes, came forward to help.

It turned out that their efforts were not needed for long. Harry's form went limp suddenly as what ever it was that was causing him to writhe about stopped hurting him.

Ginny and Hermione were holding each other tightly seeking both reassurance and comfort for one another as Ginny fearfully asked in a small shallow voice, "Is he...dead?"

It was several seconds before anyone could answer. Finally Mrs. Weasley turned to her only daughter with tears in her eyes. "Nearly. I don't know what else to do for him. These aren't really the types of wounds I have much experience with,"

Her voice broke as she spoke, but she continued, "He's hurt far beyond anything I've seen before. I think their must be damage on the inside too that we don't know about, certainly there's more than we can see here and even that is a lot..."

Green flames erupted in the fireplace as Bill returned, bringing Fleur with him. No one thought to challenge her as she entered the room and she didn't bother to say anything to the others as she and Bill rushed forward. The sudden appearance of Fleur seemed to be a catalyst to Hermione, who smacked her head and cried, "Of course!"

The head of bushy brown hair was a blur as it turned and rushed for the supply of books and potions that Bill and Remus had sent. Realization dawned on the face of their former Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. "I'd forgotten, Hermione you really are the..."

"...I doubt that. I should have remembered this was hear ages ago!" She said over her shoulder. The sounds of her rummaging around in the trunk as she looked for things was loud in the otherwise quiet kitchen.

"What are you looking for?" Ron asked as he went to help her.

"Something that we can use to help Harry..."

"Do you have any essence of Dittany?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Here!" Hermione said suddenly holding up a small phial.

Ron took the phial and handed it carefully to his mother who promptly removed the stopper and started applying the potion to Harry's wounds. He barely moved as the Dittany was put on his wounds. The bleeding was stopped for the time being. Bandages were made from old towels and linens that smelled old and musty. Fleur split her time between helping to apply the Essence of Dittany to Harry and helping Hermione and Ginny make bandages. Her face was one of grim determination as she went about her work.

Fleur continued to work in silence. Her eyes betrayed the feelings she had as the silver-blue orbs were wet and she blinked furiously trying to keep them clear. She swallowed hard from time to time but made no other sound.

Ginny remembered that Fleur was a competitor in the Tri-Wizard tournament just as Harry was. She would have formed some kind of bond with him from that alone. But that wasn't all; Harry had saved her sister in the second task when Fleur herself could not. Ginny knew that, that above all else would have endeared him to her. She felt a new kind of kinship with her brother's new wife. They both loved Harry, though for very different, though similar reasons.

The wounds were slowly cleaned and bound; still Harry remained unconscious. His color was nearly bled away. His skin was a chalky gray and he was becoming cold to the touch. The day was not even half over but it was easy to see that a long vigil lay ahead.

Barely anyone spoke as Harry, once bandaged and bound, was moved upstairs by Remus and Bill to Sirius' bedroom. Remus held his wand steady in front of him, Harry's limp form floating along on a bier of magic. Bill led the way and opened the door and pulled back the blankets and sheets on the bed. Harry was carefully laid upon it and Ginny promptly took a seat next to his bed. The vigil began as she ever so gently took his hand in hers. Quiet tears were present in her eyes.

Throughout that day Harry was never left alone. Someone was always with him. Sometimes it was Ron and Hermione sitting in there with Ginny, other times it would be her parents, or Bill and Fleur, or Remus, or even the twins. Everyone took their turn.

That first day became a very long night. Harry's pallor didn't change, however his cold skin became feverish and so he had to be monitored. His breathing became shallow and labored. His head was wiped of sweat, cold compresses were applied around him, and fresh water was dribbled a little at a time over his lips and into his mouth.

For three days this continued and only one thing became more and more clear. Harry wasn't getting any better. He was slowly slipping away as the wounds inside his body that couldn't be treated festered and were left untouched.

Hermione poured over the books that they'd been sent, and every potion they could think of to make and give to Harry was given to him. Still nothing seemed to help.

Several times Bill or Remus would leave the house to try and find someone, anyone, who might be able to help them. Each time they came back looking depressed and frazzled. Once or twice they come back with a potion to try or some tip that they had been given but nothing worked.

Ginny's face soon started matching Harry's for color. She quit eating and would only drink when her mother or father begged and cajoled her into it. Ron and Hermione's presence in Harry's room became as constant as Ginny's. No one knew how much longer he would last. It was quickly beginning to look like the Weasley's would soon be grieving the loss of an adopted son along with the two children that had so recently been taken from them.

It was towards the end of the third day. Ginny was in her ever present position next to Harry at the head of his bed. Ron and Hermione were seated nearby. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with Lupin and Bill were quietly holding what sounded like an animated discussion in the hall.

Occasionally Ginny could hear her name being brought up. She didn't care. The only thing that she cared about was that she was losing Harry and she could not accept it. Her insides hurt from the fear and the pain of losing him. She couldn't eat because of it. She knew her parents were worried but didn't care to do anything about it.

They had never really had much time to be together. The thoughts and memories of the time that they had shared were swimming more and more through her mind. She had taken to whispering these memories to Harry in what felt like a vain hope that he might hear her and try just a little bit harder to get better.

A sound from downstairs made her look up. Ron and Hermione jumped from where they were sitting, leaning against each other with their eyes closed.

"What was that?" Mr. Weasley asked.

There was a lot of thundering around as people moved downstairs to find out what had made the noise that was heard. There were a lot of voices coming up from downstairs, including one that Ginny didn't recognize. It was high pitched and coming closer.

"...Dobby had to try, when he heard..." But the sound was muffled by excited mutterings and shouts from the twins.

"Yes! Isn't this what Harry used when he was bit by that Basilisk when he saved Ginny?"

Cold realization washed over Ginny in that moment. There was only one thing that could heal the venom from a Basilisk, Phoenix Tears. It had been Professor Dumbledore's Phoenix, Fawkes, that had arrived and used it's tears to heal Harry from the bite he'd suffered in fighting the huge snake-like creature and saving Ginny in the process. How did that elf, Dobby, figure into this?

The room suddenly became very full. Ginny's Mom and Dad led in a small house elf who was dressed in an old pillow case, different colored socks, and five badly knitted hats on his head. They were followed by Remus, Bill, Fleur, and the Twins.

"Oh my!" Dobby said when his eyes fell on Harry.

"Dobby!" Hermione cried. She rushed forward and hugged the startled little elf.

"Miss, you is Harry's friend! It was you who made Dobby his hats!" The elf smiled happily up at her.

"He says he has something that will heal Harry," Remus announced to Ginny, Hermione, and Ron.

"Harry Potter needs help! Dobby has come to help his friend,"

"What do you have, Dobby?" Ron asked him.

"You is Harry's Weezy, you is. Dobby has Phoenix Tears!"

Relief flooded through Ginny as she realized what it was that was in the elf's hands. It was a phial of shimmering, shining Phoenix Tears. Hermione's eyes went wide when she looked at the phial. Hand trembling, she reached out towards it but it was Fleur who took it from Dobby.

She removed the bandages from Harry's torn and abused body with the help of Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny. Then with steady hands Fleur took the stopper from the phial, then with patience and deliberation, she started applying the Phoenix tears a drop at a time to each of Harry's wounds. What was left was dribbled slowly, again drop by precious drop, into his throat.

The effect of the Phoenix tears that was placed on Harry's wounds was immediate. They started first closing and then healing until nary a scar was left. The other, internal injuries took longer. That third night was longer than the rest. No one knew the extent of the damage that was done and so as a result no one knew if the tears that Harry swallowed would be enough to help him.

It was long after midnight when the first glimmer of hope shined through. Harry's fever broke. The deathly pallor of his skin slowly started gaining some color. By the time the sun rose that fourth morning, Harry looked merely like he'd just suffered from a bit of an extended illness and nothing more.

Ginny, who had tirelessly stayed with Harry during his entire ordeal, fell asleep in her chair. Her relief was so profound that it was almost palpable. Even though she was sleeping, there seemed to be a little more life in her. There was a little bit more color in her cheeks.

Ron and Hermione, who had also been watching over everything very closely, were able to slowly go to their respective beds for some much needed rest. Their own relief was just as deeply felt and all encompassing as Ginny's was. Hermione's eyes were wet from joy as she trudged down the hall to her room. Ron didn't look like he knew whether to laugh or cry. He just walked in a sort of a stupor, only his feet guiding him to where he was going.

It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of the entire house that day. No one moved around much due to people catching up on their sleep. It was a day full of relief but also building tension.

Harry's actions demanded answers. The question was would he provide them? No one knew exactly what it was he was thinking when he left, though when they talked secretly about it when alone with him, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione agreed that it was probably to get the Basilisk fangs.

Hermione, who had deftly and quickly removed Harry's moleskin bag from his robes when they were stripped off of him, was convinced that the bag held at least one fang. However since Harry wasn't awake to open the bag, no one knew for sure.

That was another question that remained to be answered, when would Harry wake up? He continued to lie there in his bed as if asleep. His breathing was even and normal. His skin color was only a little off now but it too was improving. Had he suffered more than they originally thought?

While Harry was silently enduring his ordeal and in the days that followed, Dobby the house elf became a constant fixture. Much to Hermione's indignation, he took on all the cooking and cleaning chores, the laundry, and also, much to the relief of everyone, the obtaining of food and drink.

His bat-like ears bobbed along as the creature moved from room to room doing everything he could to make the house and people within it as comfortable as possible. Dobby took over Kreacher's space under the boiler and it was there that he slept.

The elf also became an object of fixation for Lupin, or rather where it was that Dobby had obtained the Phoenix tears. That was something that was highly suspect and Remus wanted the full story. Dobby however seemed a little reluctant to tell it.

What finally convinced him to tell his tale was when Hermione, Ron, and Ginny invited Dobby up to Harry's room to sit with them and tell them how he had saved Harry's life. The elf became very emotional and started loudly crying and hiccoughing as he began. Outside Harry's room, the other's stood as Dobby sat down and went into detail about how he had obtained the Phoenix Tears and also how he knew to bring them to Grimmauld Place.

"So it was Professor Dumbledore who told you where Grimmauld Place is?"

"Y-yes! He was a good man. He gave Dobby his job at Hogwarts and paid him for it! So when he asks Dobby to get Phoenix Tears and take them to Harry Potter because Harry Potter is dying without them, Dobby does it. Harry Potter is noble and kind and he is Dobby's friend! Dobby is happy to help him," The elf cried.

"Where did you get the Phoenix Tears from, Dobby?" Hermione asked kindly.

"F-from Professor S-slughorn. He k-keeps many things for making him money. Dobby knew he shouldn't do it. But Dobby did it to save Harry Potter! Dobby t-took all he had. He also stole the Phoenix tears from the Headmaster's office..."

"Don't you mean Headmistress?" Ron interrupted him, but Dobby's head was shaking vigorously.

"Hogwarts has a Headmaster, he is bad! Bad! He is Professor Snape! Professor Snape is not liking Harry Potter! Dobby was glad to steal his Phoenix Tears!" Dobby wailed defiantly.

"Dobby did a wonderful thing helping Harry like that," Ginny reassured him with a smile. Dobby's large orb eyes looked back at her adoringly.

"Dobby can see why Harry Potter thinks so highly of his friends. Like Harry Potter they are kind and noble and good people,"

"So, Dobby," Ron said hesitatingly, "Not that we're not all grateful for what you've done, but how did you know to come here?"

"Professor Dumbledore in his picture told Dobby that Harry would come here. He told Dobby where to go and Dobby came as fast as he could!"

That seemed to be enough to satisfy everyone that they were safe in Grimmauld Place for the time being.

On the fifth day Harry's eyes opened. At the moment that it happened, no one was in the room. Ginny was with Hermione and Ron in their room, Fred and George were busy helping their Mother and Father with a project that they needed help with. Remus, Bill, and Fleur were at Shell Cottage with Dobby trying to see what they could do to strengthen the defenses for both homes.

Harry, who was still very weak, tried to sit up but only managed to be able to find his glasses and his wand on the little night table next to his bed. He was able to put his glasses on and just had time to realize that he was in Sirius' bedroom when unconsciousness claimed him once more.

When Harry's three closest friends returned to his room to sit with him, they all did a double take.

"Did you put his glasses on him?" Ron asked Hermione.

Hermione in a tone of patient exasperation replied; "How could I have Ronald? I left the room before you did, remember?"

"Harry? Are you awake?" Ginny was asking him. Harry didn't move.

"You don't think he put them on himself, do you?" Ron wondered.

"Who else could it have been?" Ginny looked at her brother in annoyance.

"I don't know, Mum maybe?" "Ron, Mum's downstairs with everyone else..."

"Oh, yeah...I forgot," Ron looked a little disgruntled.

They sat down excitedly to wait for Harry's eyes to open again. A few moments became minutes which then became hours. It was getting close to time for bed when Harry's eyelids started fluttering and his eyes opened again.

"Hermione!" Ginny said excitedly.

Hermione gasped as she looked at Harry and saw him looking back at her.

"Alright Harry?" Ron asked half heartedly.

"I've been better," Harry answered truthfully.

"You gave us a right scare there, mate," Ron told him

Harry's cheeks colored at hearing this. His eyes glanced over to Ginny whose face seemed to be a mixture of emotions. Excitement, anger, joy, fury, frustration, betrayal, and finally relief all found a place there for a moment.

Ginny sighed as she leveled a gaze that made Harry wonder if he'd have to use the wand he held for self defense as she said; "Harry Potter you are a GIT! What the HELL were you THINKING! You could have got yourself killed..."

"Ginny..." Hermione tried placating her, but her heart didn't seem to be in it. Indeed she looked like she wanted to join Ginny in her tirade but wasn't giving in to the temptation.

"Hermione! No..."

"HARRY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Ron suddenly screamed.

Ginny spun around and her eyes went wide. Harry's wand was pointed at her and his hand was trembling. The sound of footsteps running up the stairs could be heard. Harry didn't seem to notice.

In a small, tired, beaten voice Harry muttered several words; "Finite Nathrach Vestigium Tricorum Incantatum,"

A shimmering wave seemed to pass over Ginny but she didn't seem to feel it. Ron's wand was drawn now and pointing at Harry who was now lowering his hand.

"What did you just do?" Hermione asked, her hand twitching towards her wand.

"Removing the Trace..." Harry whispered quietly. He looked back at Ginny and added, "I'm sorry Ginny. Really I am. I'm sorry about...all of this. I love you..."

Harry's last words were a whisper as he again lost consciousness. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came bursting into the room at this point, just as Ginny was turning to look at Hermione.

"What's going on in here?" Mrs. Weasley demanded.

"Is Harry awake?" Mr. Weasley asked looking from his son to his daughter to Hermione and then finally to Harry, "Why is he holding his wand?"

For a moment confusion reigned. Then Hermione looked at Ginny. "Did he just say he removed the Trace? Could it be that simple?"

"Harry removed the Trace on Ginny? How?" Remus demanded as he came into the room.

"HE WHAT?" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "How could he do that?"

"Why would he do that is the question I'd like to have answered," said Mr. Weasley as he looked at his daughter with an unusually stern face, "Does this have anything to do with this mysterious quest of his?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other then at Harry but it was Ginny who spoke, "I'm afraid that we can't talk about that, Dad."

"Ginny..." Mr. Weasley's voice was full of warning which was very unusual for him.

"Dad, I'm sorry. Professor Dumbledore entrusted this to Harry. He told Harry that he could tell Ron and Hermione. They decided that I could know too, but really for everyone's safety, we cannot talk about it,"

"Do you really think that Professor Dumbledore would entrust something that important to you? Surely he wanted you to use discretion about what you are doing, but..."

"Ginny's right, Mum," Ron said seriously.

"Ronald,"

"Mrs. Weasley, in sixth year Professor Dumbledore took a personal hand in Harry's schooling..."

"I know that Hermione, he informed some of us that he was doing so..."

"But did he tell you what it was he was going to be teaching him?"

"Well...not really. All he said was that it would be a little of this and that,"

"So, with all due respect, if he didn't tell you then what he was teaching Harry, what makes you certain that he'd want Harry to tell you now?"

"Mum, we didn't even know until Professor Dumbledore told Harry that it was okay to confide in us. Harry said he was very specific that he not share his task with anyone else," Ron added.

"Molly," Remus interrupted at this time, "I know how you worry. I understand that, but if Dumbledore gave Harry a task for him alone, he must have had a reason,"

"But they're just children!"

"Mum, we're of age..." Ron reminded her.

At this Ginny remained silent. This was a part of the conversation that she was rather hoping to avoid. Her eyes glanced at the still silent form of Harry. She thought about maybe asking Dobby if he could get Harry some soup or tea or something until her mother's next statement erased any future thoughts of that.

"Ginny isn't! If you three want to do this, I can't stop you..."

"Mum!" Ginny started to complain.

"No! I will NOT let you..."

"Why don't we take this downstairs and let Harry rest?" Mr. Weasley said. Ginny was silently grateful to her father in that moment. She knew that he'd just stopped her and her Mum from having a major row.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes turned towards Harry for a moment. They softened as they looked at him. She obviously still had a lot to say, but remained quiet for now.

"Your father's right, we should let Harry sleep. Come along then..." She stood out of the way and watched as Remus, Mr. Weasley, then after a moment's hesitation Ron and Hermione left the room.

"Ginny..."

"Mum, no. I'm staying with him. Someone should be here if he wakes up again,"

"No, I let you stay with him when...well before. He's going to be fine. You can come along now,"

"No. I want to stay with him,"

"Ginny..." "Mum, I love him," Ginny said it simply and calmly. Much more calmly than she felt.

Mrs. Weasley looked at her only daughter for a long moment; her face was hard to read. Finally she nodded quietly and left the room.

"Have it your way, then," Mrs. Weasley said as she left the room. Ginny thought she heard her mother sniff on her way out the door.

She felt badly about defying her mother and hurting her feelings. However she wasn't a child anymore and she felt it was time for her mother to begin to understand this. Resuming her seat next to Harry's bed, Ginny took Harry's hand in hers and held it as she looked at the man she wanted to one day marry and was grateful to him.

If Harry really had removed the Trace on her, then she could be a real part of the things that they needed to do to hunt down those Horcruxes and destroy them. She could help Harry in his quest to bring down Voldemort. They could be a real team, like they were in school. The thought brought an unbidden smile to her face.

_**Harry**_

By the time dawn broke the next morning, Harry was feeling much better. He spent a few moments thinking about the events that had landed him where he was. The last thing he remembered was when the Portkey had landed him in Grimmauld Place and feeling supremely grateful at seeing those he loved just before he lost consciousness.

Looking over at the chair closest to the head of the bed, there was Ginny slumped over. She was in a deep sleep. Soft snores could be heard coming from her. Her position did not look very comfortable but at the moment Harry was loathe to wake her.

He knew that he was going to be in for loads of trouble if Ginny's rant was any indication. But he'd done it. He'd managed to get the Basilisk fangs they would need and learned how to brake the Trace on Ginny in the process. Now she was free of the trace and they could move on with the hunt for the Horcruxes.

Except now that Voldemort knew that he had the Basilisk fangs. He would probably know what it was that Harry was collecting them for, or at least be suspicious of it. They would have to start hunting for them soon.

Harry wondered if Ron and Hermione would still want to go with him. Or Ginny now that she had a taste of what it was that they would be doing. He still had no clue where to even look for one of the Horcruxes, let alone all of them.

Professor Dumbledore's supposition about Nagini were probably correct and the snake rarely left Voldemort's side. But what about the others? The locket? Or the cup? Or the other item? Harry was just thankful that he didn't have to try and find the Diary or the Ring. They were out of the way. Two down, four more to go. Unless there was one that Professor Dumbledore didn't know about.

Movement near the door drew Harry's attention. He saw Mrs. Weasley peeking in at him. Harry smiled at her.

"Harry dear, its so good to see you awake again. I must say you gave us all quite a fright for a while there," Mrs. Weasley chided him quietly.

Feeling guilty, Harry's eyes fell towards his blankets, "I'm sorry,"

Her eyes scrutinized Harry closely as she looked like she was trying to decide how to phrase what it was she wanted to say next. Harry thought he'd better head her off now, before things started to get out of hand. In this case he figured the truth would be the best way to do that.

"I'm sorry I took off like that. I didn't mean to scare anyone. It's just that with finding out about Charlie and Percy and all...I...I couldn't just sit around. It made me angry that something happened to them and they died. I feel like maybe I could have prevented it..."

"Harry..."

His eyes found Mrs. Weasley staring down at him. It looked like tears were threatening and this made him feel both very awkward and very guilty. Harry found that he suddenly lost his voice. Feeling like he needed to do something and fast, he started to get up out of bed. Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear of it.

"No, Harry, you've been through quite a lot in these last few days. I really think that you should take it easy. You just lie there and I'll make sure that someone brings some breakfast up to you," She said as she turned to leave the room. Harry thought he heard a sob as she left.

Lying back down Harry looked around his Godfather's old bedroom. It looked just like he remembered it with the exception of some chairs that had been brought in and set up around the bed. How long had he been in here, Harry wondered.

The same pictures and banners adorned the walls. The same furniture and the same carpeting. Even the same posters of muggle women in bikinis. He wondered how long Hermione and Ginny would be willing to put up with that.

Ginny's soft snores reminded him that she was there. Looking over at her, Harry was surprised to see how different she looked. She was always slender but now she looked thin; like she hadn't been eating. Her color didn't look quite right either. Her hair hung limp and stringy.

For all the guilt he'd felt when talking to Mrs. Weasley, that was nothing compared to what he felt now. Ginny must not have left his side in the entire time that he had been here. Harry resolved to find some way to make it up to her. Then he realized he had already taken a step towards that. He'd cast the spell to brake the Trace. Ginny was free to use magic now. That was something at least. Reaching over and taking her hand, Harry held onto it while she slept.

Two things quickly became apparent that day and both of them were things that Harry would later make Harry smile and shake his head. The first thing was that Mrs. Weasley seemed bound and determined to make sure that Harry remained confined to his bed, at least for the time being. Harry had his suspicions as to why this was but for now just kept his quiet and did as he was told.

The second thing, and to him the more surprising of the two, was that no one seemed to believe him that the Trace had been removed from Ginny. Harry had a devil of a time convincing Ginny of this and with her Ron and Hermione. No one seemed prepared to believe him. This was unbelievably aggravating to learn and no one seemed able to give him a good reason as to why.

Harry, logically, tried to have Ginny use a simple spell to prove his point but no one wanted to take a chance and tempt fate. After what Harry had just gone through, no one wanted to chance that experience. Nothing he had said so far had done anything to convince them that the Trace really had been removed. Harry had an idea as to how to test things, but he wanted to wait until Mrs. Weasley let him up out of bed again to try it.

At the moment Ginny was out of the room, as was Ron and Hermione. For the moment he was alone. Looking out the window into the gray, grim sky outside, Harry wondered absently what happened to the Death Eaters that he'd sent walking with the Imperious Curse. Were there any others out there now? Would there be when Ginny tried to use magic? Could he get her to do it?

Harry was just thinking of ways that he could maybe get her to try out using some magic when Remus and Mr. Weasley entered the room.

"Harry," Remus said by way of greeting. He and Mr. Weasley took the seats that were normally occupied by Ron and Hermione. Mr. Weasley gave Harry a friendly nod.

"Feeling a little confined Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked him.

"A little I guess," Harry admitted.

"You know that Molly means well, right?" Remus asked him.

"I know, I just wish she'd let me get out of bed. I'm fine. I feel loads better,"

"That's the main reason why we're here now. You gave us quite a scare there," Remus began.

"I didn't mean to, I just..."

"Felt like doing something," Mr. Weasley finished for him, understanding in his eyes.

Harry looked for a moment at the tall balding man. Ron's long nose came from him, and so did his hair. But he seemed to be more reserved to Harry. Small wonder as to why, having just lost two sons. Still that shouldn't be a reason to make Harry have to stay in bed. He really didn't feel like putting up with it much longer.

"I know it's not been easy putting up with Molly's mothering Harry, and I do appreciate you being so good natured about it. But I wonder, do you understand why she's doing it?" Mr. Weasley asked him.

Harry had a couple of good responses he'd have loved to have given for this. However he sensed that now was not the time. Instead he just quietly stated what he thought the most likely reason was; "It's because she's afraid that Ron and Ginny will want to follow me if I leave again, isn't it?"

"That's part of it I would wager," Remus said with a sympathetic smile.

"There's more?"

Mr. Weasley's face took on a more strained look. His voice was more controlled too; "Harry, we just recently lost two of our sons. While you had nothing, and I mean NOTHING to do with that, it still didn't help things that less than a day later we nearly lost you too. What was worse was having to stand there and watch it happen and knowing we were powerless to do anything about it. I think that scared Molly more than anything else. She felt like she was losing another son. You do know that's how she, well really both of us, think of you, don't you?"

Suddenly Harry's blankets were very interesting. He started to fidget with one tassel and didn't look up as he nodded his head slightly, "Thanks, Mr. Weasley."

"Harry, that wasn't the only reason for coming up here," Remus told him as he changed the subject. Harry looked up at his former professor. Lupin's gaze didn't falter as he continued on, "Harry, Professor Dumbledore was very clear when he said that you had to be the one we rallied behind. He was adamant in stating how important it was for us all to continue the fight. He was also very clear that you would have some tasks of your own to accomplish and that we should support you in those tasks,"

Harry started to interrupt but Lupin waved him down as he continued on, "I know that you don't want to talk about what it is that you've set out to do. I know that Dumbledore told you that you couldn't tell anyone. But Harry we, Arthur, Molly, and I, feel that maybe that idea should be revisited. You know what happened to the Burrow, and you've agreed to let everyone stay here. Don't you think it would be fair for them to be in on what is going on since their lives are at risk too?"

"Professor, I'm sorry, I can't tell you..."

"You told Ginny. I know that you have and I know that she was not included when Dumbledore advised you that you could share what he wants you to do with Ron and Hermione,"

"That's true, but..."

"But what?" Mr. Weasley asked, "You know that any of us have, and still would, continue to risk our lives for you. For what you're fighting for. We would all do that, but we would like to know what it is that we're risking our lives for. Don't you think we've earned that right?"

"It's not that, Mr. Weasley. I was told by Professor Dumbledore not to say anything at all to anyone,"

"Then how do you explain Ginny knowing?" Lupin asked.

Harry looked at him. He knew that if anyone was going to believe him, it would be Remus Lupin. He just wasn't sure this was a story he wanted to share. Finally he decided he would. Not because he wanted to, but because he felt like there was no other way to make them understand.

"The first night we came here..." Harry began slowly, he could only hope that maybe Ron, Hermione, or Ginny would be able to support what he was about to say, "...we all slept in the drawing room downstairs. We were tired and had just escaped from those Death Eaters..."

"Death Eaters?" Mr. Weasley asked, his face going pale.

Harry turned to Remus, "You didn't tell them?"

Looking at Harry directly, Lupin shrugged as he said; "We didn't have a chance. When we left here that night other things happened after that pretty quickly. There hasn't been a chance to since then,"

Harry sighed as he turned back to Mr. Weasley, "We were attacked by Death Eaters right after we apparated away from the wedding. Hermione guided us to a street in Muggle London and we made it to a cafe. That's where they found us."

"You're sure they were Death Eaters?" Mr. Weasley asked skeptically.

"Yes, they were in Hogwarts the night Dumbledore was killed, somehow they found us..."

"Did Ginny use magic? That would have activated..." But Harry was already shaking his head.

"No, she didn't. We asked her that so many times she got mad. She didn't use magic at all,"

"Then how would the Death Eaters have known where to find you?" Mr. Weasley reasoned.

"We don't know. That's one reason why we've been laying low here while we prepare for...everything," Harry explained patiently.

"Harry, the Death Eaters would have known where you were going. There has to be some explanation for how they found you. You're sure Ginny didn't use any magic?"

"I'm positive of that. Ginny did not use any magic. None. I don't think she even had her wand in her hand until the attack happened,"

"Remus, if what Harry is saying is true..." "I know Arthur, I know. It doesn't bode well,"

"Why do you say that, Professor?" Harry wanted to know.

"Because Harry, it means that the Death Eaters have some way to track you that we haven't thought of." Remus put his head in his hands.

"How could they do that? Could it be that my Trace that wasn't removed?" Harry was fearful now. That would mean that he would be the one who couldn't use magic. Or would have been, now that he knew the counter-spell to lift the Trace.

"No, absolutely not," Mr. Weasley said firmly, "I know for a fact that the Trace on you was lifted. Just before I stopped being able to go into work, I heard one of those Snatchers talking about how unfortunate it was that they couldn't use that to track you. Not to mention the fact that it's wizarding law. It was specifically designed to break at the moment you turned seventeen. There is no way of extending that that I know of,"

"What about creating a new kind of Trace? One that works after the age of seventeen? I'm sure Voldemort..." Mr. Weasley winced at hearing this name, "...could do it or has someone who could do it for him. What about that?"

"You're forgetting that there hasn't been anyone near you who could place that kind of Trace on you," Remus reminded Harry. "Otherwise I suppose it could happen,"

"Going back to our discussion about your task that Dumbledore sent you," Mr. Weasley said. Then he froze.

At that moment Harry's scar started hurting him with a searing, blinding pain. His hand flew up to his face so fast and so hard he bloodied his own nose. Immediately he started writhing around in pain like he was being burned alive.

"HARRY!" Mr. Weasley and Lupin shouted as one.

Very quickly the room was full of people. Ron and Hermione came in first, beating Ginny only by a fraction of a second. Mrs. Weasley followed them, a damp dish towel clutched in her hands.

While the older adults looked alarmed by what was going on, the younger ones didn't seem quite as upset by the ordeal. This was something they had seen before.

"What is it, Harry? What do you see?" Ron asked nervously.

"You need to shut him out Harry! Please shut him out!" Hermione cried.

Ginny jumped up on the bed with Harry and started trying to take him in her arms, "Harry! You need to block it. Block it out Harry, please,"

But there was no blocking out what Harry was seeing. Voldemort was in a towering rage. He had his wand pointed at a very scared and battered looking Olivander.

The old man's eyes were wide with fear. His hair was wild and sticking up everywhere. His face had scratches on it and it was clear that they were not all the same age. What disturbed Harry the most was seeing Olivander trembling in fear at the sight of Voldemort and his wand.

"You lied to me, old man. Using another's wand did nothing against Potter's. It was useless!" Voldemort hissed.

"I thought it would work! The cores of those two wands are unrelated, there's no reason for it not to have worked for you!" Olivander cried.

"You lie. Voldemort knows. He always knows,"

Harry could feel something building and he was deathly afraid of what he was about to see. The pain in his head was blinding him to the words from those in his room. Yet he could still hear Voldemort and Olivander clearly.

"I do not know why it didn't work. Please! I'm telling you the truth!" Olivander screamed.

Voldemort was unleashing his fury in a series of Cruciatus Curses. Olivander was cringing and screaming as the full weight of Voldemort's wrath was brought to bear through them.

As Voldemort let the curse subside, he seemed to have a new thought. He leaned in close to the cowering, trembling, old man and hissed in a soft and deadly voice; "Tell me Old Man, what do you know of that wand of legend, the one known as the Wand of Destiny? Speak the truth and you shall live. Lie to me and you will be Nagini's next meal,"

"T-the Wand of D-destiny? The D-d-death Stick?" Olivander's eyes widened in understanding and fear.

"You know of this wand that I speak of then?"

"I-I've heard tell of it. It is s-said t-t-to be the only wand that cannot be beaten. That wand hasn't been seen in centuries! It's p-probably destroyed." Olivander quaked as he pushed himself back up against some kind of stone wall.

"Where was it when it was last seen?" Voldemort asked, his tone deadly.

"It was rumored that G-Grindlewald had it at one time. B-but how could that be true? He lost his battle with Dumbledore!"

"How indeed. It seems as though I must pay Grindlewald a visit..."

The scene Harry had been witnessing slowly dissipated. When Harry was next able to open his eyes, he saw several faces looking back at him intently. They all wore expressions of worry, fear, and concern.

It took him a few minutes to catch his breath. He realized gratefully that Ginny was holding him in her arms.

"Alright?" She asked him when he seemed to have recovered.

"Better, yeah," Harry nodded slowly. His head still hurt a bit from what he had just seen.

"What was it, Harry? What did you see?" Ron asked him.

Ron's face was as intent as Hermione's was fearful. However what caught Harry's attention was not the expression on their faces but the ones on Lupin's and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Sorry about that," Harry said quietly.

"Harry, what about the Occlumency that Professor Snape was teaching you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"It's not like I want to see what he's thinking! Sometimes I just can't help it. Like now for instance. He's really very angry."

"What did you see that has you so convinced of this?" Mr. Weasley prompted.

"He has Olivander. Voldemort," there were several hisses and faces that winced. Harry continued on as if he hadn't noticed it, "Voldemort was torturing him about what happened with our wands when you all came to get me from my Aunt and Uncle's. He's after some wand called the uhhh...the Wand of Destiny. I think the other name he used for it was the Death Stick. Olivander said that it was a wand that couldn't be beaten. Do you know anything about that?"

Harry was looking at Remus who looked like he was deep in thought. Mr. Weasley was looking at Harry with great concern. Mrs. Weasley came over and sat on the bed next to him. She gently pulled Harry into her arms and held him, crooning very softly under her breath.

"You poor, poor dear. To have to have witnessed that, after everything you've been through. Poor dear..."

Ginny looked a little annoyed at her mother but otherwise didn't say anything. Harry felt a little awkward but let Mrs. Weasley hold on to him. It felt oddly comforting. His mind was racing and full of the things he'd just witnessed.

The others in the room stayed where they were for the moment, each lost in their thoughts. Harry heard, faintly as though from another room, Hermione say,

"I wonder..."

She must have left the room. Harry didn't find out. In the arms of Mrs. Weasley, Harry did something that would surprise him when he found out about it later, he fell asleep.


	11. Mistakes and misgivings

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **Thanks to those who have taken their time to read this. Added thanks to those who've taken the time to review. You're thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

**Chapter 11**

When Harry awoke later, he noticed right away that it was still dark. The rest of the house was quiet. He looked up and noticed that Ginny and Hermione were by his bed. It was Hermione who had been prodding him to wake up. Ron was near the door, "Muffliato," Harry heard him whisper.

"Whatzagoingon?" Harry asked tiredly. His eyes didn't want to open.

"We need to talk, Harry," Hermione told him bossily.

"What about?" he asked, coming more fully awake now. He looked around the room to see three anxious faces looking back at him. Harry sat up and put his glasses on.

"There's a lot going on," Ron told him as he came and sat at the foot of his bed. Ginny took up a seat next to Harry while Hermione remained standing.

"What do you mean there's a lot going on?" He asked as they all looked at each other.

"After you fell asleep and after...you know...what happened, anyway we were all downstairs and Mum kind of went a bit mental over...well over everything," Ron began. He ran his hand through his bright red hair nervously.

"What do you mean 'over everything?' What happened exactly?"

"Harry," Hermione began uncertainly, "When you...left as you did, it gave everyone quite a fright,"

"I'm sorry about that Hermione,"

"That's not my point though..." "Harry, Mum is demanding to know what the big secret is. I know Dad and Professor Lupin want to know too, but I don't think they're as keen to find out about it as Mum is," Ron told him.

Looking around the room, Harry suddenly realized that he'd really not done himself or anyone else any favors in going to Hogwarts. Sure, he'd been able to break the trace on Ginny, but what good was that when she was afraid to try magic for fear of bringing the Death Eaters down on her? He had also been able to get..."Hermione, I got them!"

"Got what, Harry?" Hermione looked at Harry quizzically.

"Basilisk Fangs! I've got two of them..." Realization struck Harry hard in that moment. Voldemort knew about the fangs! He'd read it in Harry's mind.

"Is that what's in here?" Hermione asked him as she fished under the bed and pulled out Harry's moleskin bag, "I wondered if that wasn't it,"

"Hermione! You're...you're amazing! Thank you!"

Accepting the bag from a blushing Hermione, Harry opened it up and pulled out the two fangs he'd managed to obtain. He set them on the bed and stared at them.

"Harry," Ron said as he looked down at the fangs, "This is all well and good but this doesn't do anything about Mum,"

"We can't tell them," Harry stated firmly.

Ginny, who until this point had been very quiet, looked at Harry and nodded her head, "That's what I said. Hermione and Ron said the same thing. But you know Mum. She tried to keep you lot from leaving before. What makes you think she won't try and stop you now?"

"I don't know, Ginny. I wish I did. There's a lot of things I wish I knew," Harry replied. He put the fangs back into his moleskin bag.

"Harry, we've got to tell them something," Hermione argued.

"No, we don't Hermione. Professor Dumbledore didn't say well, do this but if things get too bad or too dangerous then you better tell the others. I don't think he wanted them to know,"

"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just continue on here like we were doing, they'll figure it out sooner or later!" Ron exclaimed.

"Then we leave. Your family can stay here where it's safe. They can stay for as long as they like, but I have a job to do," Harry was speaking to Ron in answer to his question, but he was looking at Hermione. The set of her jaw and the look in her eyes told him she was gearing up another argument, so Harry cut her off

"Look, if this has turned out to be more than you expected, I understand. But no matter what, I'm leaving. Voldemort is only getting stronger and it's up to me to stop him,"

"You mean it's up to us to stop him," Ginny corrected him.

"She's right, Harry. We're still with you. Even if I don't agree with what you're saying now," Hermione agreed with a worried look on her face.

Ron was looking at Harry seriously, nodding his head. It heartened Harry to have his friends respond so positively to him. Then another thought occurred to him, "Even if that means you end up having something happen to you, like what just happened to me?"

Ron's eyes widened as the reality of what Harry was telling him sank in. Then he nodded and said, "It doesn't change a thing, mate. We're still here,"

He looked from Ron, to Hermione, to Ginny. All three of them were nodding their heads slowly and with expressions that spoke of understanding and loyalty. They were there with Harry. They would be with him until the end. However that end might happen.

Neither can live while the other survives. That's what the prophecy said, Harry thought. He wondered if his friends, who all had heard the prophecy as well since he had been the one to tell them, knew exactly what that meant. Harry thought he had a good idea.

"Even so Harry," Hermione persisted, "I still think we should tell them something. Even if it's..."

"Even if it's what, Hermione? Don't you get it? If we say something to them, even just a little something, and one of them is captured, what do you think that means? They would be killed for knowing even a little bit!"

"They would be killed anyway," Ginny said, "We're blood traitors, remember?"

"I thought you agreed with me that we shouldn't say anything," Harry looked at her.

"I did and I do. But don't fool yourself into thinking that they won't be killed just because they know a little bit about what we're doing. Just the fact that we're a bunch of blood traitors is enough for them to find a reason. Look at Charlie and Percy!"

Her last comment stung a bit. He, no matter what anyone else said, still felt like he bore some of the responsibility for that. The only way to stop any more people from dying was to stop Voldemort. The only way to do that was to find and destroy his Horcruxes. Then came a startling thought: How much more protected would the Horcruxes be if Voldemort knew that Harry was hunting them?

"Then think of this," Harry said thoughtfully, "What happens if we tell everyone what it is we're doing, and then, by some miracle, they decide to go along with it? Then, what happens if Voldemort finds out through someone that we're after the Horcruxes? How much harder would it be to find them then? How much more protection would he put on them? Let me tell you, it would be a lot. Just the protection on the locket and the ring nearly killed Dumbledore both times!"

That was enough to silence Hermione's arguments. A horrified look appeared on her face and Harry only nodded.

"Harry..." Hermione said quietly.

"I know, Hermione. I know. But now that we have the basilisk fangs, we can start out looking for the Horcruxes. We just need a place to start," Harry sighed.

"Before we go on to that, Harry, I wanted to talk to you about a couple of other things," Hermione said steeling herself.

"What about?"

"You mentioned when you were seeing into Voldemort's..." Ron winced at hearing Hermione use his name, "Good grief Ron! It's only a name! Anyway, when you were seeing into _his_ mind, you mentioned something about _him_ looking for a new wand. A specific wand, do you remember?"

"Yes," Harry nodded, "The Deathstick or Wand of Destiny. It's supposed to be a..."

"...A wand that cannot be defeated." Hermione finished.

"The Wand of Destiny?" Ron asked looking from Harry to Hermione. Ginny just sat back observing the group as they spoke. Then she sat up suddenly.

"Was that the wand that Remus was researching? Only he didn't call it the Wand of Destiny, he called it something else,"

"The Elder Wand I think he said,"

"The Elder Wand?" Harry asked.

"I think that's what it was anyway," Ron nodded.

A wand that could not be beaten? If Voldemort was looking for a wand that couldn't be beaten, Harry thought, that must mean two things; He planned to meet Harry in battle. And he was making sure that there was no chance for him to lose.

This only seemed to feed a small spark that had started forming inside Harry's chest. It had begun the night he faced Voldemort in Dumbledore's (he refused to think of the office as Snape's) office. That spark had refused to die out over the days when he was recovering. Indeed it seemed to smolder and now this latest thing fed it even more. Harry refused to give it anymore life than he had already, he pushed the spark away and ignored it.

Hermione looked like she was deep in thought. Harry decided to focus his attention there; "What is it, Hermione? What are you thinking about?"

"I've heard that name before," She answered as she looked towards the bedroom door, "It was in..."

"A book," Ron and Harry said together. Ginny smiled knowingly.

"Well, yes it was. But it was in a book of children's stories," She looked at Ginny and Ron, "The tales of Beetle the Bard?"

"That's the book that Dumbledore left you in his will!" Ron realized.

"That's it," Hermione beamed at Ron. She seemed really impressed that he remembered this fact.

"What does a book of Children's stories have to do with this wand that You-Know-Who wants?" Ginny asked.

Harry looked to Hermione for an explanation which for once she wasn't entirely able to provide; "It's in the book which is downstairs. I don't want to chance waking anyone just now and I need the book to explain it properly,"

Nodding his head in understanding, Harry's next question was directed to Ginny even though he reckoned he already knew the answer; "Have you tried any magic yet?"

Ginny's face colored at the question which confirmed Harry's suspicion, "Not yet,"

"You don't think I really lifted the Trace?" Harry asked her. Ron and Hermione started looking uncomfortable.

"Well..." Ginny hesitated.

"That's fine, I'll do it again if you like. If anyone would know how to lift it, it would be Dumbledore and he's the one who told me how to do it,"

"How can you be sure you did it right though?" Ron asked.

"He's right, Harry," Hermione added, then quickly before Harry could say anymore, "You were just waking up after almost dying. You might have..."

"I didn't mess it up, Hermione."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Hermione said looking like she was afraid she'd hurt Harry's feelings.

In fact Harry was a little annoyed that his friends didn't have a little more faith in him. He'd escaped Voldemort again, hadn't he? He picked up his wand and pointed it at Ginny, "Finite Nathrach Vestigium Tricorum Incantatum!"

This time she didn't flinch and no one reacted like Harry was suddenly deranged. Again there was a silent shimmery wave that ran over Ginny and Harry lowered his wand and smiled at her.

"I promise you, you're fine to use magic. Try something, go on..."

"What do you want me to do? If it doesn't work..."

"Then the Fidelius Charm that keeps us safe here should still work, shouldn't it?" Harry directed his question at Ron and Hermione. Hermione nodded.

"Yes, it would work. The only time a Fidelius Charm can be broken is if the Secret Keeper reveals the secret. That's why those Death Eaters are still camped outside and haven't come bursting in. They must know we're somewhere nearby, but they don't know where..."

Distracted from Ginny for a moment, Harry looked at Hermione in bewilderment; "They're still out there? I used the Imperius Curse on them when I left to get them away from here! I even watched them go!"

"There's no need to shout," Hermione chided him, "Whether or not you used the Imperius Curse or not, there are still Death Eaters camped outside across the street."

This revelation really caught Harry by surprise. He got up out of his bed and went to the window. He pulled apart the old, heavy, moth eaten, curtains to have a look. Sure enough, there were two figures in dark cloaks standing across the street. Harry stared at them long and hard for a minute in shock. Then; "They're not the same ones I don't think,"

"What do you mean they're not the same ones?" Ron asked moving next to Harry to have a look out the window himself.

"The ones I cursed were more equal in size, these two aren't,"

It was true. One Death Eater was very tall and thin. Almost to the point of looking like he'd been put on a rack and drawn out to be made taller. The other one looked very short next to him though Harry thought he might be closer to average size. He sat back down and sighed.

"I wish I knew how they know to be out there,"

"How do we know that they aren't just still watching the place in case you show up?" Ginny asked.

"I suppose that's possible," Hermione said doubtfully.

Turning back to Ginny, Harry sighed. "Would you please just try something simple? You could levitate my pillow,"

Shaking her head doubtfully while Ron and Hermione exchanged alarmed looks, Ginny drew her wand, stood up and pointed it at Harry's pillow. With a well practiced swish and flick, she said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Immediately the pillow floated up into the air. Ginny made it dance around a little bit before letting it float down gently back onto the bed.

"Well done!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione was smiling nervously.

Ginny however was beaming with joy; "It worked! It really worked!"

"Happy Birthday!" Harry told her with a smug, satisfied smile.

"You remembered?" Ginny asked as she came forward to stand in front of him.

Ron started looking a little uncomfortable. Ginny didn't care however. She was all smiles as she reached up and took Harry's face in her hands. She then pulled him forward into a kiss.

"Hey now," Ron began.

"Ron, hush," Hermione whispered. Ron looked rebellious as he turned his head and studiously looked out the window again.

Harry meanwhile was enjoying the chance to kiss Ginny again while it lasted. There had been precious few chances to do that since the wedding. When he pulled away, he had the presence of mind to add, "Sorry I didn't remember any sooner,"

"You're forgiven," Ginny smiled at him.

The next day, Harry made his way downstairs again. Mrs. Weasley saw him walk into the kitchen and promptly tried sending him back upstairs again.

"Oh no you don't, young man! Back upstairs with you!" She piped up.

"Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine. I need to be up and moving around again," Harry tried arguing.

"You do realize don't you that you almost died?" Mrs. Weasley's voice broke at the end.

Harry saw Ron rolling his eyes at his mother's theatrics and felt a little rebellious too, but he also couldn't help feeling guilty over everything he'd just put her through. His mind racing as he tried to find some argument he could use, it was Mr. Weasley who stepped in.

"Molly, don't you think you're overdoing it just a bit?"

"Arthur, you saw how much blood he lost," Mrs. Weasley reasoned, "He needs time to get his strength back,"

"I'm sure the Phoenix Tears that Dobby gave him will work just fine for that," Remus added.

At that moment, the little house elf came walking into the room.

"Harry Potter! It's so good to see you up and around!" Then he started wail, "When Dobby heard that Harry Potter might die, he had to come and try to save his friend."

"Thanks Dobby, I'm glad that you did," Harry smiled at him.

"Dobby is too sir!" Dobby smiled back at Harry and then went on about doing his house work.

Turning back to Mrs. Weasley, Harry took a deep breath to speak. He was interrupted again by a flash of Green Flames in the fireplace. Bill and Fleur stepped out of it, followed by Fred and George.

"'arry!" Fleur exclaimed as she rushed forward and hugged him tightly, "eet ees zo good to see you!" Harry returned the hug only awkwardly. Ginny ground her teeth until Fleur let go.

"Alright there Harry?" Bill asked him quietly.

"Right as rain I guess,"

"Bloody Hell mate," Fred began

"You gave us a right good scare there for awhile," George finished.

"Language," Mrs. Weasley chided them.

"Sorry Mum, anyway, it's good to have you back Harry." Fred said as he sat down at the table.

Mrs. Weasley smiled sadly at her twin sons. Harry wondered if she was remembering the other two that had so recently died. He started to take a seat himself but Mrs. Weasley caught him,

"Harry, upstairs. Now!" Harry turned to leave when Remus stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Now wait a moment, Molly. It's not going to hurt anything for Harry to be down here with the rest of us. He must be going mad up there by himself all day long. Why not let him stay down here with everyone else?"

"Fine, it seems that I'm the only one that cares for his welfare," Mrs. Weasley stated in exasperation.

"You may sit in the drawing room. Go on now, off with you," She waved her hands at Harry and he did as he was told. It was easier than fighting with her and if things went as he had planned, he'd be upsetting her again soon enough as it is.

Harry marched off to the sitting room, stopping only long enough along the way to grab a couple books for some light reading.

Ron was right behind him, followed closely by Ginny and Hermione.

"That went well, don't you think?" Ginny quipped as they sat down in the drawing room with Harry.

Ginny took a seat on the arm of the chair that Harry had taken. Ron and Hermione took up seats on the couch. They were looking at Harry expectantly.

"What is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"We're waiting," Ron said simply.

"Waiting? Waiting for what?"

"In about three minutes, Mum is going to come in here and start in on you. You just watch. She's going to ask you what it was that you were doing at the school and why there is such a big secret about it," Ron advised.

"You've got to be mental," Harry snorted.

Ginny was shaking her head, "She gave up too easily. Ron's right, you'll see."

And Harry did see, though it was not for some little while later. Every so often Mrs. Weasley would pop in and out of the room to check on them and, Harry assumed, to make sure he wasn't doing anything but resting.

The group had spent the entire morning doing nothing but talking and relaxing. There wasn't any cleaning to be done because Dobby kept up with it all. They couldn't go to school, and they couldn't go out because of the danger. They were bored.

It was Hermione who had the idea that they pick up one of the books that Harry had brought into the room with him and begin to study up and practice using what they found in the book.

Since Ginny had so recently discovered that she really was able to use magic freely, she was all for this idea. Harry couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm and feel a bit smug about her desire to participate.

The book; _Hugh Blocker's Guide to Defensive Magic and When to Use It_, turned out to be a gold mine of ideas. Not just with new spells but new ways to use old ones too.

Hermione was reading the book and seemed a bit perturbed when not only Harry, but Ginny too, got most of the spells and techniques in using them down correctly before either she or Ron.

There was one jinx, 'Glaripoppum' that Harry felt would be particularly useful in a defensive magic situation. One just simply pointed their wand at the enemy and gave the incantation 'Glaripoppum'

The effect of the jinx was several seconds of bright flashing lights and loud popping sounds around the face and head of the intended victim. It was designed to disorient and confuse an attacker and give the one using the jinx time to escape.

The group took turns on each other with this jinx. When it was Harry's turn to be on the receiving end, he thought that maybe Hermione was a bit too anxious to use it on him. She had a kind of fierce determination in her eyes that Harry recognized immediately. It was the same look she wore whenever she felt that she'd been beaten at something.

Casting the jinx quickly and non-verbally, Harry's train of thought was suddenly blinded by bright flashing lights and loud popping sounds in his ears. It was several minutes before he could see or hear again. Harry kept shaking his head trying to clear out the last effects of the spell.

When he finally could see, his eyes were met with the sight of Hermione wearing a self satisfied smile on her face. His eyes were just clearing up and they were getting ready to move on to something new to try when Fred and George came into the room.

"Hey you lot, what's with all the racket?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, you'd think you were trying to do something productive in here," George added.

"We are trying to do something productive," Hermione told them patiently.

"Yes, we can see that," Fred retorted, "It looks like it too."

"That's why we came in here," George said turning to Harry.

"Harry, Mum is going to be coming in here any second to try and get some information off of you. Remus and Dad were trying to talk her out of it but she's really got her mind set,"

"Thanks," Harry told them,

"Well that's not all. See we have loads of experience in dealing with our mother," Fred told him.

"And we know what it's like to have to try and hide something from her when she's determined to find out what it is," George squatted down next to Harry.

"Look, don't let her catch you in anything. Just smile and nod and listen to her and let her know that you're really not up to anything rash,"

"Good start, Fred. Also you can't let her make you promise her anything. Otherwise she'll hold you to it."

"And don't let her try and make you feel guilty either,"

"Just hold your ground and she'll eventually..."

"She'll eventually what, Fred?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a touch of irritation.

He could see right away that Fred had been right. Their mother's cheeks were flushed and she had a fire in her eyes. These eyes which had now turned their gaze on Harry.

"Harry Dear, I wonder if I might speak with you a moment?"

Ron was giving Harry an 'I told you so' look as he stood up and left the room. Fred, George, Ginny, and Hermione following behind him.

"Sure, Mrs. Weasley. What would you like to talk about?"

Mrs. Weasley spent a few minutes tucking Harry's blanket around him and making sure he was comfortable. He tolerated this because he knew that if they talked about what Ron was saying she wanted to talk about, he would be hurting her feelings very soon. Harry didn't want to do that any more than was absolutely necessary.

When she was finished fussing over Harry, Mrs. Weasley conjured a chair and drew it up close to him. She took a deep breath as she smoothed her hair out of her eyes and then said; "I wanted to talk to you about what it is you have planned to do about fighting You-Know-Who,"

At least she wasn't mincing words, Harry thought. He looked at her for a moment and saw the love and caring she held for him in her eyes. He also saw a deeply felt sadness there. He felt sure that it was directly related to the sons she had so recently lost, but there was something more there too. Maybe fear? If it was fear, she was controlling it well.

"What did you want to know, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry replied.

"Well, Harry, I want to know what it is that you're supposed to be doing for Dumbledore," Mrs. Weasley asked.

Harry was shaking his head before she could finish speaking.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, I've promised him that I wouldn't say anything to anyone. I can't go back on that promise,"

"But Harry, you were nearly killed? Do you really think that Professor Dumbledore meant for you to risk your life to carry out this fool-hardy task?"

Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley and remembered the words of the prophecy. The same prophecy that was the reason why his parents were dead and he was an orphan. This thought gave him the strength to look Mrs. Weasley in the eye and answer her calmly.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley, he did. He was fully aware of what it was he was asking me to do,"

Of all the answers that she might have been expecting to hear, by the expression on her face the one Harry just gave her clearly wasn't one of them. She jerked her head back and her eyes opened wide.

"Surely you're not serious? Professor Dumbledore would never knowingly let you risk your life, Harry. You must have misunderstood him."

"I am quite serious. There is no mistaking what he said and no mistaking the risks involved. This is the most important thing. This is our only chance to defeat Voldemort," Harry stated plainly.

Mrs. Weasley winced at his using Voldemort's name. She looked at Harry long and hard for a moment. Before she could go on, Harry decided to add something else.

"There's more, Mrs. Weasley. You weren't there that night he died. You weren't at Hogwarts and you weren't there with us in that...where we went that night. He nearly died then. I know, I was there. I had to help get us back to Hogwarts. When we got back, his last act before he died was to save me. He petrified me so that I couldn't move and try to save him when the Death Eaters arrived at the top of the Astronomy Tower," Harry paused for breath. He ignored Mrs. Weasley's tears as they fell, feeling horrible as he did so. However he wanted to make his point blatantly clear.

"He could have saved himself. He chose to save me instead so that I could carry on and do what it is that he has asked me to do. That is how important this task is. So you see Mrs. Weasley, he knew very well exactly what it is he was asking me to do. He knew it and made sure that I did too,"

"B-but what about Ron and Hermione? And Ginny? What about them?" Mrs. Weasley was crying now.

"I never asked them to come with me. I never wanted them to. Any of them. They chose to join me of their own accord. I just know what it is that I have to do."

"And you can't share this with anyone?"

"No Mrs. Weasley, I can't. In the end, what I have to do, I will do alone. I'm the one who has to face him. I'm the only one who can."

"B-but Harry, you might die!" Mrs. Weasley whispered now, tears free flowing.

"Very probably. But I'll make sure that he dies with me. No one else can do that,"

Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry for a long time. He could only return her gaze. She finally nodded her head. He didn't know if it was that she accepted what it was he had told her or resigned herself to the fact that he wasn't going to tell her what she wanted to know. But he would take it if it stopped the questions for now.

He had a hunch it might when Mrs. Weasley reached forward and pulled Harry into a tight embrace which Harry returned. He didn't begrudge her for wanting to know. He didn't begrudge her for wanting to protect him or her family. He knew that those were the main reasons behind her questions.

When Mrs. Weasley let him go, there was a respect in her eyes that he'd not noticed there before. Harry fervently hoped that, that meant that she had accepted what it was that he had to tell her.

That afternoon Harry was allowed off of the couch and out of the drawing room. He took this as further sign that Mrs. Weasley had accepted what he had to say about not revealing his task from Dumbledore. When he mentioned this to Ron and the two girls later, after he had explained to them what he'd told her, Ron took a different view.

"Don't bet on it, mate. She's not through yet,"

"Why do you say that?"

"You don't know, Mum," Ginny agreed with him.

"You guys weren't there in the room. You didn't see her,"

"No, but I've lived with her," Ron said back, "I'm telling you Harry, she's not done yet."

"She doesn't have to be. It doesn't matter anyway,"

Something in his voice must have tipped Hermione off that Harry was up to something. She cocked her head to one side and looked at him strangely. Ignoring this, Harry went upstairs.

Instead of going to his room he went up to the attic where he could be alone for a little while. With so much on his mind, Harry didn't notice the looks that Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were giving each other as he left the room. Nor did he notice Ginny's eyes watching him as he left or that she followed him long enough to see where he went.

In the attic Harry found a seat that faced the window that looked out over the street below. Looking outside he saw that the Death Eaters were still there even now. They seemed to be waiting for something but what it could be, Harry didn't have a clue. He watched them for a few minutes before sitting down and making himself comfortable.

There was just no other way to do it, he thought. No matter what, where I am people will be in danger. Mrs. Weasley wants to know what's going on and I don't want to hurt her feelings. That really leaves only one option. When Harry thought about it he realized that he'd known for some time that this was really the only option left to him if he was going to find and destroy the Horcruxes. He was going to have to leave Grimmauld Place. This time he would do it alone.

A sense of loneliness came over him when he thought of being out there alone in the world. He wouldn't have anyone but himself to rely on. But he also wouldn't have anyone else to have to worry about. Everyone else could stay here at Grimmauld Place, he didn't care about that. They would be safe and that would enable him to do what had to be done. Finding and destroying the Horcruxes. And then finding and destroying Voldemort.

The small spark of fear that Harry had felt earlier, the one that he had worked so hard to push away, worked itself to the surface again. Since that last time they'd met and Voldemort had wormed his way inside Harry's mind to discover the purpose of his visit to Hogwarts, it had done something. It had made him begin to fully realize what it was that he was up against.

Voldemort was by all accounts a powerful wizard. He wasn't like Gilderoy Lockhart who made his claim to fame on the works of others. Voldemort really had done most of the things that were credited to him. He had hunted people down. He had blazed his way through magical defenses. He had killed. In his quest for power there was nothing that he wouldn't do to obtain it. Harry's parents, Cederic Diggory, and many others were proof enough of that.

This fear wasn't enough to paralyze Harry. Only enough to make him acknowledge it and realize that sooner or later he'd have to face it. Just like sooner or later he'd have to face Voldemort himself.

It was a while later when Harry came back downstairs. He'd spent some time thinking and he had a plan. It was a tentative plan and a simple one. He hoped that maybe this plan would work. It was simple enough that he figured there was a good possibility of it anyway.

The plan was easy enough to work out. He would make sure he had only the necessities to take with him. His wand of course, his Invisibility Cloak, the Marauder's Map, the Basilisk Fangs, some food, and maybe one or two other things. This would allow him to travel light and move fast. Maybe if he stayed on the move and not in any one place for too long, then maybe he could avoid capture too.

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen together when Harry entered the room. The fact that everyone seemed to be acting nicer to him than usual, except perhaps for Ginny whose behavior seemed entirely normal, he suspected he had been a recent topic of conversation. Then Harry realized he didn't care. If his plan went successfully, it was sure to make him a topic of conversation anyway.

"Harry!" Mr. Weasley said genially, "We were wondering where you'd gotten off to,"

Looking over at his closest friends, Harry noticed Ron looking at him sheepishly.

"I just wanted some time to think," Harry answered truthfully.

"Everything alright?" Remus asked him.

"Fine," Harry answered plainly, "Never better,"

Hermione and Ginny were watching him closely, suspicion was clear on their faces. Harry knew that if he didn't go through with his plan, and soon, that they stood a very good chance at figuring things out. This was the last thing that he wanted to happen.

As unobtrusively as possible Harry watched his friends. He figured he had maybe a day at most before someone figured things out. That mean that he should act quickly.

As the day wore on, Harry made sure to gather those things that he would need. He would wait until dinner, excuse himself to use the loo and go. It would be a while before anyone tumbled to what he had done and by then he would be long gone.

One thing that Harry debated long and hard on was whether or not to leave a note. He had decided against it at first; not wanting to leave any clues as to where he was going. Then he changed his mind. After what had happened last time, he figured he owed everyone an explanation before he took off again.

He made note writing the last thing he did before dinner. It was a little difficult to get some parchment, a quill, some ink, and a little quiet space in which to compose the notes he wanted to leave. He wasn't entirely sure he was successful. There were some tense moments when he thought that maybe Hermione might have caught him sneaking some paper and quill out of her bag.

After thinking in depth about what it was he wanted to say, Harry decided to leave four notes. One each to the people he cared the very most about in the house hold: Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Remus. He started with the one for Remus first.

The notes he wrote expressed his appreciation for their help, their support, and their friendship. For Mr. and Mrs. Weasley he thanked them for all the times that they had been there with him when he had no family of his own, and told them how they would always be the family he wished he could have had.

For Ron and Hermione, he had to work a little harder. He talked about the times they shared and thanked them for their willingness to support him as he went to hunt down the Horcruxes. He told them why it had to be him and him alone that went after the Horcruxes and faced Voldemort. Then he closed with his expressed hope and desire to see them again after everything was over.

Ginny's was the hardest note to write. He agonized the longest over each and every word. Finally he put down what he could and hoped that she would understand.

He wrote:

_'Ginny,_

_I'm sorry to have to do this. I have to leave you and this house to do the job that Professor Dumbledore asked me to do. This is something that only I can do and no one else. It's me that he wants. _

_This last year with you has been better than anything I could have hoped for. I could never have wished for someone better for me than you are. You have been more wonderful than anything. More wonderful than I had any right to expect._

_Please Ginny, do me this favor. Stay here with your family and Hermione. Stay here and stay safe. Knowing that you are safe and sound will help me to have the courage to do what needs to be done. _

_Maybe, if things go well, then we can be together after all this is over, if you'll still have me. _

_I love you, Ginny. _

_Harry'_

The notes went into a deep pocket of his robes. When dinner came and he made his escape, Harry would take the time to leave the notes on everyone's pillows. He hated himself for having to do things this way but it really was for the best. The others didn't need to keep risking their lives needlessly in order to help him. They could have some time to be happy together. Even if that time was without him.

When it came time to sit down for dinner that evening, it was a somber affair. Remus had returned home to be with Tonks for awhile. Fred and George had left with Bill and Fleur to go back to shell cottage. The house already felt a lot emptier since they were gone. Mrs. Weasley put on a brave face about it, however Harry caught her looking at him with a strange expression on her face from time to time.

When they finally sat down, Harry was ready to go. He had his things by the door stashed out of sight. He had the notes in his pocket ready to put on everyone's pillows. He tried to keep up with the mood of everyone else so as not to tip them off that he was up to something.

Harry was one of the first to sit down at the table. He was preceded only by Ron and Mr. Weasley. Ginny came in next followed by Hermione several minutes later. If they suspected anything was afoot, no one said anything about it.

"You've been quiet today," Ginny commented as she sat down next to Harry at the table.

"Sorry, there's a lot on my mind," Harry replied with a smile.

Ginny leaned in and kissed his cheek which earned a tolerant smile from her father and a much warmer look from her mother. Harry just studied his plate.

"So Harry, what spells do we work on tomorrow?" Ron asked pleasantly.

"Spells? You lot are working on spells?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Molly, it's alright. It gives them something constructive to do. Leave them to it," Mr. Weasley reminded his wife.

"That's true, Mum," Ron added, "It's not like we can go to school and practice this stuff. We have to learn what we can now,"

Mrs. Weasley smiled at her son as she shook her head, "As long as it's just here you're practicing..."

Harry felt his stomach clench into a knot. He knew very well how upset Mrs. Weasley would be when she found out he was gone. But there was no getting by it. It had to be done. This whole business had to be done.

When Mrs. Weasley sat down, Dobby appeared seconds later with his arms occupied with platters of food that looked entirely too big for him to handle, yet he manipulated them with ease.

The dinner looked as wonderful as it smelled. There was a baron of roast beef, roasted potatoes and carrots, a tureen of a rich fish chowder, assorted fruits, jams, jellies, and a black pudding. Harry had large helpings of everything.

He figured he would need the extra food to stick with him while he was out there, hunting down Horcruxes. Thinking about the food led his mind on to the other things that he would be missing, such as a warm bed, fun with his friends, and just the safety of Grimmauld Place. Harry shook his head a little. Thinking of such things now was counter productive to the tasks that lay ahead.

About halfway through the meal, Harry decided it was time. Mentally wishing everyone well, he stood up and excused himself to go to the loo. There was a feeling of dread and doubt in his stomach as he ran upstairs and deposited the notes on everyone's pillows. He saved Ginny's for last.

There in the room she shared with Hermione, Harry stood there staring down at her bed. Not able to help himself, he reached down and picked up her pillow. He held it close to his face for a moment breathing in the smell of it; of her. After a long moment, he sighed and set down the pillow with his note carefully laid on top of it. He would miss her terribly when he left.

Harry swallowed hard as he turned and left her room. He ran back downstairs as quietly as he could, made his way to the cloak room where he grabbed his cloak and then looked for his bag of the few things he would be taking with him. It wasn't there. Harry could have sworn that he left the bag hidden under his cloak.

"Looking for this?" Hermione asked as she stepped out from behind the door.

Harry jumped at the sudden sound of her voice. He almost shouted out at being startled but Hermione covered his mouth in time. The look she was giving him could freeze water on a hot July day.

"Hermione..."

"Harry, shut it!" she ordered. She had never talked to him like this before. Harry was so stunned that his mouth opened in shock but no sound came out of it.

"I thought," She went on, her voice getting colder, "That after everything that just happened, not to mention what we discussed following that, that you would have given up on the idea of leaving to go off on your own. Did you really think that you'd get away with it again?"

Still not able to find his voice, Harry just looked at the floor and shrugged, "You don't understand..."

"Do NOT tell me what I don't understand Harry. Bloody Hell! You've been my best friend for eight years! Did you really think I wouldn't tumble to the fact that you were up to something? Did you?" Angry tears were in her eyes now. Harry realized that he'd really done it this time. He shook his head.

"Let's get back to dinner before people come looking," Hermione said angrily.

"Hermione, I have to do this. It has to..."

"Don't give me that tripe! I'm not going to listen to how it has to be you. Damn you, Harry! It doesn't all have to fall on your shoulders," "I'm sorry Hermione, maybe when this is all over, you can..." He never got a chance to finish his statement. Hermione had drawn her wand and had it pointed directly at his face.

"If you think I'm going to stand by and let you leave and put us all through another nightmare like the one you just did, for the same stupid reasons, then you just may as well think again! I imagine that when you wake up, you'll have a whole room full of people who are just dying to talk to you about why that would be a bad idea,"

The hurt in Hermione's eyes was more than Harry could take. He knew that he'd be hurting everyone when he left. There was no way to get around it. He'd accepted it. But the one thing he hadn't seen was how much pain he was causing those around him when he tried leaving them. Harry had never understood the depth of the pain he was causing those he loved. And still they forgave him for it. Except that there was no getting around doing what had to be done. Harry tried one more time.

"Hermione, I can't stay here. You heard Ron and Ginny, it's only a matter of time until Mrs. Weasley tries again,"

"I'm not saying you can't leave, Harry. I know that there's work to be done. What I'm saying is that when you do go, we'll go together. You're not leaving us all behind again,"

"But what about Ron and Ginny? Their family is here! They just lost two people in their family. They need to stay with their parents," Harry argued but Hermione was already shaking her head.

"They made their decisions already. They'll come too,"

"How do you know?" Harry couldn't help but asking.

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head at him, Hermione sighed; "Because while you were off plotting how to get out of here unnoticed, we talked about it. We have almost everything we need."

"What?" Harry exclaimed. The sounds of people dining in the room down the hall faltered.

"SHH!"

Shrugging his shoulders sheepishly, he asked; "What do you mean?"

"I never really unpacked all that much from my little bag. It won't take long to add those things we need to it. Ginny's already given me a bag with her clothes in it, so she's ready. Which reminds me, don't let on to her that I caught you trying to sneak out, she was all fire and brimstone when I told her what I thought you were up to. She's liable to curse you for that one and it would serve you right too!"

"You mean..."

"You'd better get back to dinner, Harry. You've been gone a little too long already,"

Harry nodded as he reached out for his bag.

"I'll hold onto this," Hermione told him snatching it back out of his reach and lifting her wand a little bit. Harry could tell she was still very tempted to use it.

He bowed his head as he turned and headed back towards the kitchen. He stopped at the foot of the stairs and took out his wand. He knew that Hermione was watching him as he used a summoning spell to call the notes he'd left to everyone back to him. As the last one flew into his hand, he turned and handed them to Hermione. She calmly took them from him and put them into her robes.

As he turned towards the door, Harry noted that the anger and pain he'd seen previously in Hermione's eyes was still very much present. He'd have to find a way to make this up to her and to the rest of them. He figured he owed them that.


	12. Ginny's Upset

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **Thanks to those who have taken their time to read this. Added thanks to those who've taken the time to review. You're thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

I know its been awhile since I've posted anything. Life Happens. Sometimes it affects things like writing time. However, in an effort to make it up to those who have been waiting for the next chapter- I've made this one longer. I hope you like it.

**Chapter 12**

_Ginny _noticed that something was distinctly different with both Harry and Hermione when they re-entered the kitchen and took their seats at the table. She also noticed that Harry's features were downcast, almost ashamed, whereas Hermione's was clearly angry.

Not being able to remember a time when she'd ever seen Hermione particularly mad at Harry, Ginny wondered for a moment what could have happened. Of course Ron was oblivious to all of this as he shoveled food into his mouth. However Ginny suspected that both her parents were aware that something was going on. They just chose to keep their mouths shut about it. For now anyway.

Ginny however had no such intentions; "Everything alright?"

"Fine," Hermione quipped, glaring at Harry.

Harry looked at her and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm good. Sorry we took so long,"

There was something about Harry, the cast of his facial features and his body language as a whole that had Ginny feeling that something was really off. He seemed a little down today, almost depressed. He had taken off to be by himself earlier and now he was acting almost guilty. Like he'd been caught at something that he didn't want to be, and after the conversations she'd had with Ron and Hermione just today...and then it clicked.

The only reason that Harry would be acting guilty and Hermione angry is if he had done, or tried to do something particularly stupid. While she continued eating her dinner, Ginny watched and stole glances at Harry and Hermione both.

Hermione went about eating her dinner with an angry gusto. She looked up once to see Ginny watching her and ever so slightly shook her head. Whether it meant don't worry about it, or now was not the time to discus the issue, Ginny wasn't sure. She decided to err on the side of caution.

As she watched Harry, she noticed him looking at Hermione a little mutinously, and when he looked at Ginny or even her Mum, it was different. Almost apologetic. This only served to convince Ginny of what she already knew: Harry was trying to leave again.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she knew she was right. And if Hermione was mad at Harry then it meant that he'd just tried to leave. Without them. Again.

It took Ginny several moments to bring her temper under control. Now would not be a good time to draw attention to the fact that she was angry, nor would it be a good time to advertise something that she knew would have to happen eventually. That in order to get things started with this hunt for the Horcruxes, that they were going to have to leave. Mum would be devastated.

The others at the table were not immune to the situation that was going on since Hermione and Harry came back into the room. Except for Ron, who continued shoveling food into his mouth, Ginny noticed that her Mum and Dad were strangely silent as they ate. Even Dobby, who was normally happy to be bustling around the kitchen as he prepared food, set out dishes or whisked away dirty ones, felt the growing tension. He dropped a stack of plates as he moved them off the table making everyone jump.

Ron, who nearly choked from the surprise, saw Dobby running to bang his head into the wall in a fit of self punishment for the transgression.

"Oh no you don't," Ron said reaching out and catching him.

Dobby struggled momentarily; "Dobby broke the dishes sir! Dobby must be punished!"

"Fine then, your punishment is to clean up the mess. Then its over. It's no use bashing yourself into the wall over it," Ron said in a voice that was both half amused and half exasperated.

"Harry's Weezy is too kind. He must truly be a good friend to Harry," Dobby said as he finally settled down. He set about immediately cleaning up the mess of shattered glass and getting it thrown away.

"Well..., Sure, Yeah, I guess so," Ron said as his ears turned red.

Ginny stifled a grin, relaxing a bit at the sudden distraction. Chancing a look over at Hermione, it was clear that she too was distracted. At the moment she was beaming at Ron and her eyes were glistening.

Grateful for the distraction, Ginny took another opportunity to steal a glance at Harry. He was looking at her directly. Immediately a strong sense of anger flooded through her veins. How could Harry do this? How could he leave and abandon them? Again, now, after everything that had happened? After the conversation they'd had just that afternoon? What was he thinking?

The anger she felt must have been successfully communicated in the look she returned. Harry's eyes widened and he quickly looked away. Good. He shouldn't be happy about what it was he tried to do, Ginny thought.

Later that evening it was a very quiet night in Grimmauld Place. No one seemed to want to talk. Ron had tried to get first Harry, then Hermione, and finally Ginny talking and then sat down frustrated when no one really responded to his efforts to have a conversation or maybe even strike up a game of Wizard's Chess.

Ginny watched all of this with a growing sense of anger. It wasn't Ron's fault that everyone else in the drawing room was so upset. Harry had tried excusing himself from the room but neither Hermione nor Ginny would let him go alone, except to the loo.

That was when Ron started figuring out that something wasn't right, and that Harry was at the center of it. He turned first towards Hermione, but at the look she wore turned to Ginny instead.

"What is it? What's Harry done now? He wasn't trying to leave again, was he?"

She knew that Ron only meant his question as a joke, but his bringing it up this way only made it that much worse. Ginny leveled a look at her brother and saw his eyes widen as he realized that what he'd meant as a joke was actually really what was going on. His look of surprise was replaced by one of anger.

"You're not serious, are you? Was that why Hermione left at dinner? Did she...?" Ron turned and looked at Hermione who was by now looking back at him.

"Yes, I caught him. Shh. Your parents are still awake,"

"I'm going to kill him!" Ron exclaimed in an angry whisper.

Join the club, Ginny thought. She couldn't decide which feeling dominated right now; anger, betrayal, hurt that he would leave them, especially her after everything that had happened just so recently... She could feel the emotions roiling around in her stomach like a bubbling cauldron.

Right now she was waiting. As soon as her parents went to bed, she was going to get some answers from Harry. If she had to curse him in his bed and hold him there, then by Merlin's Beard she would do it!

Ginny had never been so mad at Harry. She'd never been so sorely tempted to curse him with something just to make him stop and listen. Well, she'd get her chance soon enough. Harry Potter had a load of explaining to do, this was true. But he had a LOT more listening to do as well.

When Harry left the loo, he didn't bother coming back downstairs. Instead he just went into the bedroom he'd been using, the one that had belonged to Sirius, and shut the door. It was obvious to Ginny he knew that everyone was mad at him at the moment. She just would make sure he understood the why's and how's of it.

Looking at Hermione and Ron, Ginny found that they were locked into a deep, though virtually silent, discussion. She waited until they paused for a moment before asking; "What is it?"

"We're trying to decide about when we want to go talk to Harry," Hermione answered promptly.

"I say we go now. I want to hit him!" Ron growled.

"Ron! That's a terrible thing to say!" Hermione chided him.

"Who cares?" Ron snarled back, "Harry bloody well doesn't, that's for certain. If he did, he wouldn't keep trying to run out of here like a Dementor avoiding a Patronus!"

"Ron, you need to calm down. Hitting Harry won't solve anything and you know it!" Hermione told him. Ginny thought she looked much like she wouldn't mind hitting Harry herself.

As angry as she was with him, as hurt as she'd been by the thought of him trying to leave them all again, seeing Ron and Hermione this angry with Harry did have one effect on her that she didn't expect. It arouse feelings of loyalty and love.

Ginny, now also feeling very confused at the moment, was feeling a deep seated need to defend the one she loved. At the moment it was quite the effort to keep her mouth shut.

However she felt; Harry needed to account for his actions, "We'll talk to him. But I think we should wait until Mum and Dad go to bed to do it. Otherwise we might cause more problems than we'd solve,"

Hermione was nodding in agreement with Ginny as she said this. Ron looked from his sister to Hermione and back to Ginny again. He shrugged his shoulders and settled back into his seat. There was nothing left to do now but wait. Ginny was determined to get her answers and she knew that she would have them soon enough.

As it turned out, her parents went to bed not long after dinner. The fact that dinner was late and that there was still grieving to be done over the loss of Percy and Charlie probably had a lot to do with the headache and claims of being tired that were voiced by her Mum.

That was also something that still hurt in Ginny's heart as well. Her brothers were gone. That was a wound that cut deep and Harry trying to leave her when she needed him most hurt her even more. All she wanted from him right now was for him to hold her and let her grieve her loss. Damn him for trying to do something so selfish that she didn't want to be near him because of it!

When Hermione stood up to go get dressed for bed, Ginny took it as her cue to get moving as well. They all three went up the stairs and got into their pajamas before Ron knocked softly on the door of the bedroom Ginny and Hermione shared. Hermione answered it and Ron stepped into their room.

"I don't know about you two, but I want to talk to Harry now,"

"Impatient are we?" Ginny asked him.

"I want to know what the Bloody Hell he was thinking, trying to run off like that. Didn't we agree to go with him? Doesn't he realize that this is our fight too?"

"Ron, I'm sure he does. At least on some level. You know Harry as well as I do. He's already seen people get hurt and some even killed since Voldemort came back..You don't need to do that!" Hermione chided him crossly when Ron winced at hearing Voldemort's name mentioned, "My point is that Harry probably thinks that maybe he can prevent more people being hurt or killed if he faces this alone. I don't think he understands that he's wrong and that the one who will be hurt or killed is him,"

"I thought you were as mad at him as I am," Ron said looking askance at Hermione, "What're you playing at?"

"I'm not playing at anything, Ron. I've just been trying to put things into perspective," Hermione answered.

They made their way down the hall towards the room that was Harry's. Ginny reached out and tried the door. It wasn't locked. She opened the door and stepped inside the room followed immediately by both Ron and Hermione. As soon as the door clicked shut, Ron pointed his wand at the door and said quietly; "Muffliato!"

Harry's eyes flew open and he sat up in bed quickly, his hand reaching for his wand. Ginny, in a moment's inspiration, reacted faster.

"Accio wand!" She said. Harry's wand flew out of his closing grip and into Ginny's hand.

His eyes betrayed his confusion, but Ginny was just getting warmed up. The feelings she'd held back of anger, hurt, betrayal, and frustration boiled over. Directing her wand at Harry she quickly fired off three curses; "Silencio! Langlock! Petrificus Totalus!"

Arms and legs immediately locking to his sides and becoming rigid, Harry was laying flat on his back, propped up only slightly by his pillow now. The look on his face was frozen in shock and even hinted at a little fear. Good. If he was a little afraid of her, maybe he would be more likely to listen to what she had to say. And the fact of the matter was, Ginny had a LOT to say.

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to start laying into him, but Ron startled exclamation interrupted her.

"Bloody Hell, Ginny! What was that?" Ron asked.

"He's going to listen. He's going to listen and he's going to pay attention. Apparently what we'd told him before didn't sink in. This time I want to make sure it does,"

"But petrifying him?" Ron asked.

Ginny shrugged. She wasn't going to apologize for what she'd done. As deeply as Harry had hurt her by trying to leave, again, she figured he'd gotten off lucky. At least she'd not hit him with the bat bogey curse. Yet.

Not wasting any time, Ginny immediately climbed up on Harry's bed and straddled his stomach so he could look right into her eyes. She took out her wand and held it pointed at his nose. In another situation the sight of Harry's eyes crossing as they looked at the tip of Ginny's wand might have been comical. But the hint of fear she saw in those emerald green orbs that she loved so much made the situation anything but funny. He was completely powerless and at her mercy.

"Harry James Potter! You are going to listen to me and you will hear what it is that I have to say, do you understand me! You...you...you ARSE! How could you do it? How could you even think it? After everything that just happened, now you want to leave us again? What the Bloody Hell do you think you're doing? You're not the only one in this fight! It isn't just you that's in danger! Don't you get that? Ooh!" Ginny shouted as her emotions gave way and she took a moment to get her thoughts together again. She felt angry tears welling up in her eyes but she didn't care. Maybe Harry seeing her like this might help to drive the message home.

"I know you didn't ask any of us to join you, least of all me! But you know what? We did! We joined you because we believe in you! We believe in what you're doing and what it is that you have to do.

We've agreed to do this with you, Harry. Not because we have to or even because we want to. We're here, all of us, because we love you. I love you. I love you, Harry Potter and damn it that should bloody well be worth something!

You think you're protecting us by leaving again? Is that it? Let me make this quite clear; you're not. You're not going anywhere. Not without us going with you. Do you hear me? Not. Without. Us. Going. With. You!"

By this time Ginny was leaned over and nose to nose with Harry. She could see the emotions he was feeling in his eyes. Anger, was there. So was fear. There was love present too, which in her current mood made Ginny's reaction to the next emotion all the more severe. She saw pain. A lot of pain.

Thinking quickly Ginny moved off of Harry's chest but the pain in his eyes didn't go away. She took a moment to step aside and compose herself. While she did this, Hermione cleared her throat. Apparently she was going to get a few things off her chest too.

"Harry, I'm sorry. I know that you must think we're being horrible and cruel. But please try and see things from our perspective. How do you think we felt to find out that you were trying to leave again? Last time you left us and went off by yourself, you were nearly killed. Do you really think any of us want that to happen? You need us, Harry. You need more than you think. Do you want to know something? We need you too. Ron needs you, I need you and Ginny needs you. You're abandoning us all and everything that we've ever done by trying to take off on your own again.

I know that you are the chosen one, Harry. I understand that. I understand that going with you puts us in danger. But Ginny is right. My parents have moved to Australia, I may never see them again," Hermione's voice broke at this point but still she went on. Ron stepped forward and put an arm around her shoulders. He handed her his handkerchief as she went on, "But I did that so that I could go with you. All of us, Ginny, Ron, Me, Ron's parents, Remus, Tonks, Bill, and more people than I can name right now, we all believe in you and what it is that you have to do. But the fact is, Harry, you cannot do it alone.

We'll find the Horcruxes. We have a way to destroy them when we find them. But Harry, we're your friends. You have to trust us. You _have_ to. The way that we trust you. Or used to,"

"She's right, mate. Walking out on us doesn't do anyone any good. Not after all the trouble we went to. Me, Hermione, my family, and everyone else have chosen to support you and make sure that you would be able to fight this war. You can't walk out on us now.

Don't make my brothers deaths in vain. Help me, help us, make those deaths count for something. We'll leave here and we'll find those damned Horcruxes. We can't do that and stay here, I get it. You know that mum will have kittens when that happens. You know that she'll worry about Ginny and I. But you know what mate? She'll worry about you too. She loves you. Dad loves you. You know how much leaving again will make them worry?

If we're going to make Mum and Dad worry, if we're going to walk out of here and do this thing, then we're going to go together. I'm not going to watch everyone try and put you together again. Not without knowing that we did everything we could to fight them and beat them.

Harry, you're my best mate. But I'm telling you now, if you try to leave again without us. I'll curse you myself and have done with it,"

Ginny had turned and looked at her brother. There was no mistaking the sincerity in his tone or his eyes. She looked over at Harry and studied him for a moment. She then went back over to Harry and this time sat down next to him.

Resting her hand gently on his chest, she bent down low so that their faces were very close and her words could be whispered for him and him alone to hear.

"Harry, I love you. I really do. I know that we've really not had much time alone together since all this began. I'm sure hurting me or Hermione, or my Mum or Dad wasn't something you thought of when you decided to leave either time. But you can't keep hurting people if you need them to help you. And the fact of the matter is you really do need us. Hermione was right about that. But we need you, no, I need you too.

Please Harry, listen to us. Listen to me. Let's finish this thing that you have started. Then maybe once everything is said and done, we can have some time together and see what happens. Maybe then we can see what its like being a couple and not having anything hanging over our heads to worry about. We can be together. I would love that, Harry. You said you love me, and I believed you. But after these most recent events you're making me wonder if you were telling me the truth when you said that. I don't like having to second guess your feelings about me, Harry. Please, just think about this. I love you, Harry. Really I do. I'm sorry I had to do this. I didn't think you'd really listen any other way."

Finished with what she had to say, Ginny gently, lovingly, pressed a kiss on Harry's petrified cheek. She stood up then with Harry's wand still in her hand.

"I'm holding on to this. You'll get it back in the morning. Right now, I just want you to think about what we've said. I know that sounds very patronizing and I'm sorry about that. Your drastic steps to try and get away and do things on your own have given me cause to take some steps myself. Remember, I love you,"

At that Ron cancelled the Muffliato charm on the room and opened the door. As everyone filed out, Ginny pointed her wand at Harry one more time.

"Finite Incantatum," She said quietly. She then stepped out of the room.

They stood outside the door for a minute as they listened. There were no sounds from the inside of Harry's room. Ginny looked at Hermione who shook her head slightly.

"He's probably in shock. That must have been quite the experience for him," Hermione said, her voice nothing more than the slightest whisper.

"Good," Ron said bluntly, his voice just as quiet, "Maybe he'll think about what we said to him,"

"Do you think it will do any good?" asked Hermione.

"I hope so, I sincerely do," Ginny answered.

"You really love him, don't you?" Ron asked her.

Both girls turned and looked at Ron incredulously.

"What I meant was," Ron went on hastily, "That he really means a lot to you. That he's not just some other boyfriend like Dean or Mark were,"

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"What?" Ron asked, looking confused.

As Ginny was lying in bed that night waiting for sleep to claim her, her mind wandered back over the things she'd said to Harry and the feelings that having to say those things to him had brought up in her.

She had to admit that she felt confused. Harry had finally, gloriously, told Ginny that he loved her. She remembered back to that night when they'd first showed up at Grimmauld Place and that horrible nightmare he'd had. It had felt so good to be able to hold him and not have Harry push her away telling her that they couldn't be together.

It had hurt more than she'd cared to admit when Harry had taken it upon himself to leave everyone and go gallivanting off to Hogwarts by himself when they'd heard the news of her two brothers.

She knew why Harry had left; he was blaming himself and wanted to be out there doing something. Ginny even identified with this to some degree. What bothered her was his callous disregard for her, and everyone else in the house with her. She knew that Remus was upset beyond words with Harry but had quickly put that aside when Harry had returned back to them injured.

It was no secret that everyone else in the house had been upset with him as well. However, after his recent injuries and the time it had taken him to heal from them, most everyone seemed willing to put those angry, hurt feelings aside. For awhile anyway.

She knew that Harry only wanted to protect them. To keep them from getting hurt. But how could he be so short sighted? He had to have known everything that they'd said to him tonight. Ginny felt more than a little angry that he'd had to be reminded of it at all.

What would he do next? She wondered with more than a little exasperation. She honestly didn't think that Harry would have made this latest attempt. Not after the injuries he'd sustained the last time he went off by himself. She would never forget the sight of him lying there, helpless, in an expanding pool of blood. The thought of coming so close to being killed when there was so much left to do would have scared her.

Could that be it? Ginny wondered, Could he be scared?

There would be no blaming him if he was. He had lost his parents to Voldemort as an infant and nearly lost his own life when bumping into him while trying to get the tools he would need to destroy those Horcrux things. That had to have affected him. Could he have felt that more intensely than anyone had realized?

Feeling suddenly guilty for yelling at him and cursing him the way she had, Ginny was forced to admit that she likely had just stumbled on the real reason why Harry had tried running off this time so recently. He was scared to death.

It made perfect sense. Everyone else in the house knew that it would be Harry who faced You-Know-Who. It was a common topic of conversation. It wasn't like it was something that Harry could get away from.

This new food for thought occupied Ginny's mind as she finally drifted off to sleep in the early morning hours.

When her eyes opened the next morning, Ginny felt tired but better. She'd gotten a lot off her chest when she went in and let go on Harry. That his feelings were probably hurt by the things that were said and done crossed her mind. Ginny decided that in the end, this would be a small price to pay if it accomplished something.

That set her mind to thinking about everything she'd said to him. That she was angry with Harry for the things he'd done, or tried to do, there could be no doubt. But having slept through the night thinking about his actions and the things she'd said to him left Ginny wondering. What were Harry's thoughts about all of this? Surely he had to have some.

Sitting up in her bed, Ginny noticed that Hermione was starting to stir as well. As she reached out to pick up the clothes she'd laid aside the night before, her eyes fell upon Harry's wand.

Dressing quickly and quietly so as to allow Hermione a few minutes more sleep, Ginny was brushing her hair but still she kept looking at the wand. Putting down her hairbrush, she picked it up and looked at it closely.

She'd heard more than once that it was Holly and Phoenix feather. It was about eleven inches long and seemed to be in very good shape considering all of the things that Ginny knew that it had been through. There were little scratches and scuff marks but otherwise the wand was perfectly fine. It felt a little odd in her hand; kind of like borrowing someone else's jacket for an hour or two. On a whim she pointed the wand at her hairbrush and levitated it over towards the dresser where she set the brush down.

"Having fun are we?" A tired Hermione asked as she sat up.

"I was just looking at Harry's wand," Ginny explained, looking a little sheepish.

"You don't think that maybe you over did things by doing that, do you?"

"No Hermione, I don't. I think I did the right thing. He's not going to go anywhere without his wand. That means he'll have to stay here and think about what we've said," Standing up now with his wand in her hand, Ginny looked at her best friend defensively, "Maybe this time it will have sunk in."

"I hope it does. He has so much to do, the last thing he needs is to think that he can't trust us,"

"I know that. I just got so...mad!" Ginny exclaimed. Then sitting down with a sigh she went on, "I can't explain how much it hurt to find out that he was trying to leave again. It felt like..."

"A slap in the face?" Hermione asked quietly. Ginny nodded.

"You know, I really do love him."

"Which is one reason why it hurts so much. You feel like he's abandoning you when you went to such great lengths to be there for him," Reasoned Hermione who was now finishing up getting dressed herself.

Watching Hermione for a moment, Ginny was struck by a stray thought; "What about you and Ron?"

It was asked very gently and quietly. She tried to convey in her tone and the way she spoke that she genuinely wanted to know and to be there for Hermione as her friend was there for her.

"What about him?" Hermione asked carefully.

Ginny just looked expectantly at friend until she seemed to deflate and sat down with a sigh. She looked up at Ginny and said; "I just don't know,"

"What do you mean, 'you just don't know?' You like him, don't you?"

"I think its a little more complicated than that," Hermione said, her voice still quiet.

"Why do you say that?"

Hermione looked long and hard at Ginny, as if she was assessing her. Ginny waited patiently for Hermione to decide how she wanted to phrase what it was that she was going to say next.

"Ron is...Ron. Sometimes I think he likes me and that maybe something is developing between us. Then there's other times when he says something really insensitive or opinionated and I'm not so sure."

Knowing that Hermione wasn't done, Ginny waited a few moments for her friend to go on. Seeing that her friend was assessing how Ginny had just taken what she'd said, she added a polite nod for Hermione to go on.

"It's not that I don't like him. If I'm being honest with myself, I have to admit that I do. It's just that..."

"You're afraid you're going to be hurt by him. That maybe even if you two do end up together, that maybe it won't work out," Ginny finished. Hermione nodded.

She stood up and sat down next to her friend. Since everything had happened at Bill's wedding, and then the sudden trip here followed by the death or her brothers, the arrival of her parents and the near death of Harry, the two friends had had precious little time to really talk. It seemed like if it wasn't one thing, it was another. Right now though things were quiet. Harry was sleeping down the hall. Ron was out in his room. Even her parents were likely still asleep. They alone were the only two awake in the house. To Ginny at least it was a perfect opportunity to catch up on things.

Wrapping an arm around Hermione, Ginny pulled her in close. She felt her friends head rest on her shoulder as she sighed again deeply.

"You really want it to happen, don't you?" Ginny asked gently.

She felt Hermione nod her head even as she whispered, "Yes,"

"Have you ever given any thought to the fact that maybe you'll have to...um...help things along?"

"Ginny, I couldn't do that," Hermione said shyly.

In that moment, Ginny realized something. For all of her friend's intelligence. For as smart as Hermione was and for as much as Harry, Ron, and others relied on her, when it came to matters of her own heart, Hermione was just as scared and vulnerable as anyone else. It was quite the realization to make.

"Why not?" Ginny asked kindly.

She didn't want to add that it had worked for Lavender. She'd seen Hermione's face the first time Ron had snogged her. That was a memory that she really didn't think Hermione would appreciate right now.

"That's just not...me,"

"Maybe not, but it could be. I don't think he would object. In fact, I think Ron's the kind of bloke who really doesn't have much of a clue until a girl makes it obvious to him,"

"Ginny!"

"I'm not saying you have to go and snog him. Try something simple, like holding his hand. If that seems like to much, try smiling at him a little more. I think you'll be surprised at the response you get," Ginny explained as she pulled her friend in for a bit of a tighter squeeze.

She thought it was kind of different, her giving Hermione advice for once. However she also felt like she owed it to her friend. It was Hermione's advice that had, in no small part, finally helped Harry to take notice of her last year.

"I don't know, Ginny. With all of this that we have to go through, I'm not sure if now is even the time to be thinking about a relationship with Ron or anyone,"

"If not now, when? We may be going through all of this for quite a while. Who knows when its going to be over? Who knows how many more will be gone before it is? I say take what you can get while you can. You don't know what tomorrow has in store,"

"Do you think Harry is going to try and leave again?" Hermione asked.

Ginny noted the subject change and let it slide. She was worried about Harry and how he was going to handle everything that he'd been put through the night before. Talking to Hermione about Ron and their relationship, if you wanted to call it that, had given her mind a blessed break about what might be happening with Harry.

Now that the conversation seemed to have stalled, Hermione and Ginny gave each other a quick hug before stealing out into the hall. It took only a moment to decide what to do next.

Holding Harry's wand in her hand, Ginny crept back down to Harry's room and opened the door just a little bit. He was facing away from the door and looked like he might still be sleeping. Thinking for a moment that she might just leave his wand quietly on his nightstand, Ginny opened the door to go into his room.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked from behind her.

"I was going to return his wand to him,"

"You can do that later. Let him sleep,"

Closing the door behind her, Ginny noticed that it no longer squeaked. Had it always been like this? She couldn't remember.

They went downstairs to the kitchen and found Dobby hard at work getting things ready to prepare breakfast. He looked up at the two girls who had interrupted his work.

"Oh! Hello Miss Weezy, Miss Granger. Is Harry Potter alright?" Dobby asked worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine, Dobby. Why do you ask?" Hermione smiled sweetly at the diminutive house elf.

"Dobby heard Harry Potter in the night. Harry Potter was most upset, he was..." Dobby seemed to feel as if he were betraying some kind of secret. He turned and grabbed for a rolling pin. Ginny, sensing what was about to happen, deftly took the rolling pin out of Dobby's hands before he could hurt himself with it.

"Dobby," Hermione said looking aghast, "Why would you do that? You shouldn't hurt yourself if you're concerned about Harry. There's nothing wrong with telling us he's upset,"

"She's right, Dobby. You're being a good friend to Harry by talking to us," Ginny added. Hermione nodded her agreement.

The elves bulbous eyes glistened and shined as he looked admiringly up at the two young women. His large, bat-like ears quivered a little as he seemed to be evaluating them. Finally Dobby looked down at the floor, wiped his nose on the filthy wrap he wore and said,

"Harry Potter was still awake when Dobby went in to his room to make sure Harry's blankets hadn't fallen to the floor. Harry Potter moves a lot in his sleep. Last night, Harry Potter was...crying." Dobby's eyes looked around like he was searching for something to harm himself with, immediately Hermione interjected.

"He might have been upset or sad, did he tell you what was wrong?"

"No, Harry Potter would not say what was wrong. But Dobby still worries about his friend..." He stopped cold and his eyes went wide as he looked at the wand in Ginny's hands.

"You have Harry Potter's wand!" The elf accused looking scandalized, "You should not have Harry's wand! That wand belongs to Harry Potter! You give that wand back!" The elf ordered. He was looking more and more upset by the second.

"She tried, Dobby. Ginny did try. I told her to let him sleep!" Hermione exclaimed in a harsh whisper.

"Miss should not have taken Harry Potter's wand!" Dobby admonished, "You is not a good friend!"

Ginny felt horrible being taken to task by the house elf. What was more was she thought he was right. She just didn't want Harry running off again. She didn't mean to..

"I'm sorry! Dobby, please believe me, I'm very sorry! I...I'm going to go give it back to him," Ginny said on her way out of the room.

"Hmph" Dobby said crossing his arms. His eyes followed her out the door before they turned back on Hermione.

"Why would Harry Potter's friend take his wand?"

"It's a long story, Dobby," Hermione said feeling the heat creep up in her cheeks.

He continued to look at Hermione expectantly, so Hermione added quietly, "Harry tried to leave again. You saw what happened last time. He's just barely recovered from that. We didn't want him to do anything rash,"

The look of horror that appeared on Dobby's face made Hermione question the wisdom of telling the house elf what it was they were up to.

"Harry Potter cannot go outside! The Wizarding World is not safe for him!"

"We know that, Dobby. That's why Ginny took his wand last night,"

"Miss doesn't understand! This is bad! Very, very bad!" With a snap of his fingers, the elf disappeared. He left a very bewildered Hermione behind him.

Ginny had made it upstairs and was standing outside Harry's room again. She wasn't sure how she felt about this house elf taking after her the way he did but she figured he must have meant well. Besides, maybe it was overstepping things a little bit to take Harry's wand from him.

Cracking open the door, Ginny peeked inside. The room was still dark but she could just make out his form under the blankets. Checking the hall to make sure the coast was clear, she then entered his bedroom.

It took only a minute for her eyes to become used to the gloom. There was some light coming in from the window and that helped. Ginny carefully walked around the bed to the side of the wall that Harry was facing. She only meant to deposit his wand on his nightstand and leave the room. What stopped her was the expression on his face that he wore as he was sleeping.

She sat down on the chair next to his bed to study him a little closer. This was the same chair that she had occupied while he was recovering from his fight with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. His hair was covering a lot of his face, Ginny gently and with a lover's touch brushed it aside.

At this point a sudden compulsion came over Ginny. One she was powerless to fight against. As mad as she was at him, as much as he'd hurt her, he looked so helpless lying there asleep. Her heart swelled as she watched him sleep. No matter what, Ginny loved him.

That she loved him was not something that she'd ever denied. How deep that love went was another matter. It wasn't until recently that Ginny had found out the true depth of her feelings for Harry. There was only one problem.

While Ginny knew that Harry loved her, she wasn't completely sure how deep his feelings for her ran. That he'd tried to run off after being hurt so badly before did a lot to undermine her confidence in those feelings that he was supposed to have.

"Ginny,...please," Harry sighed in his sleep.

This caught her off guard. He was dreaming of her? What was he dreaming about? Was it a good dream?

"No, please, not her," Harry's whisper was pleading. What was going on in this dream? Ginny found herself wishing suddenly she knew more about Legillemency.

"No, take me, not her. Don't hurt her, please. I'll do anything just leave Ginny alone,"

Harry started moving in his sleep, becoming restless. He was clearly having some sort of dream about her and in it he was begging for Ginny not to be hurt. Her heart went out to him. While she wanted to let him sleep, she couldn't help but think that it might be kinder to wake him up and let him see that she was alright.

Leaning forward she gently pressed a kiss on Harry's cheek. It didn't seem to have much of an effect. Switching her seat from the chair to the edge of his bed, Ginny started brushing his hair back from his face and gently kissing his cheeks, forehead, and even his lips.

While she was gentle about what she was doing, there was an insistence to it. She really wanted Harry to wake up and see that she was okay, even if he was going to be mad at her for what happened the night before. Ginny just couldn't bare to see him this way when the situation was so easily fixable.

"Leave her alone! Don't touch her! Take me, please, take me!" Harry exclaimed.

"Harry! Harry my love, wake up!" Ginny told him. Her voice was a little louder this time.

She was holding his face in her hands when his eyes flew open suddenly.

"Oh! Ginny!? I...? Are you...?" Harry said in a pained whisper.

Feeling his heart thudding rapidly in his chest, she pulled Harry into a warm and tight embrace. She held him tightly while he recovered from his dream. There was no denying how good it felt to feel his arms wrap around her and pull her tightly into him.

"Are you okay, love?" Ginny asked.

Harry pulled away and embarrassedly wiped at his eyes, "I'm sorry,"

"For what? For dreaming? You couldn't help that," She was brushing the hair away from his face, looking into the eyes that she loved so much. There was no hint of the anger there that she thought she would see.

"I'm so sorry," Harry whispered again, looking down. Ginny could see a tear sliding slowly down his cheek.

"Harry, it's okay. Nothing is happening. It was only a dream," Reaching out she pulled him to her again and held him there for a long time. That he let her do this Ginny took as a positive sign. Maybe they could avoid the row that she had thought was coming today.

"Ginny," Harry whispered against her neck.

"Hmm..?" She responded quietly. Truth be told she was truly enjoying this moment of closeness to him. That he felt comfortable being vulnerable with her spoke volumes, she thought. Ginny wasn't ready to give up that moment any time soon if she could help it.

"I love you," Harry breathed quietly, "I'm sorry if what I tried to do hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you like that,"

"You didn't leave. You're still here and you're not going to go anywhere without us, right?" Ginny asked.

She got more reassurance from how much more tightly he held her to him than his words when he answered, "No, I'm not going anywhere without you. Not after...not after...that,"

Ginny carefully pulled away from Harry now. She wanted to see his eyes. When she looked into them, her heart melted. There could be no doubt of his truth or sincerity. Nor could there be any doubt that he loved her and cared for her deeply.

As she was looking into his eyes, her mind started faltering and her heart started picking up it's pace. They leaned forward into each other and kissed. Gently at first, then with more heat and fire. There was a need and a passion to this kiss that Ginny hadn't felt since that recent day back in her bedroom at the Burrow. And even that paled in comparison to the way she was being kissed now.

All sense of time was lost during those minutes that Ginny and Harry were alone together in his room. They took that time to get to know each other. They kissed, they talked, they shared joys and fears. It was time that they needed.

Later that morning, the sun was just coming to pause on the horizon as it began its daily climb into the sky as Harry and Ginny left his room. There was a closeness to them that hadn't been there before.

When they entered into the kitchen, it was to find Hermione, in a conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley

"So where could Dobby have gone?" Mrs. Weasley was asking her husband.

"I'm not sure. House elves have always had their own kind of magic. Unlike humans, they don't use wands and," Mr. Weasley leveled a serious look at Hermione, "are quite content to live their lives in servitude. That is their preference. Dobby seems to be more one of a kind in that he likes his freedom. Where a free house elf would go when he's upset is anyone's guess,"

Mrs. Weasley had noticed Ginny and Harry come into the kitchen together. She was happy that after this last summer, Harry seemed to be coming around about Ginny. Mrs. Weasley knew that Harry had broken things off with her because he didn't want to see her get hurt. However if their relationship was developing like it seemed to be, maybe he would think twice before wanting to leave again. If that was the case, that meant that she could keep her children closer to her and away from this madness that seemed to be happening everywhere these days. That was something to be happy about.

Mr. Weasley only smiled at his daughter and Harry as they entered the room, as did Hermione. Ginny was ecstatic. There was a new confidence to her that had everything to do with what she and Harry had just shared. She and Harry had had a long and very educational talk about various things. The feeling now of his hand firmly grasping hers as they entered the kitchen only seemed to underline the things that they had discussed. Hearing her parents and Hermione talking about Dobby made Ginny do a double take.

"Dobby's not here?" Ginny asked.

"No, he left right after you went upstairs," explained Hermione carefully.

"Dobby left? Where did he go?" Harry asked.

"That's just it, Harry. We don't know," Mr. Weasley advised.

Ginny thought he looked like he wanted to ask more but stopped. When she saw the look on Hermione's face, she understood why. Her parents still didn't know about what had happened just yesterday.

Before more could be said, Ron came stumbling down the stairs. He was only half awake as he entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. He did a bit of a double take seeing Harry and Ginny holding hands and seeing that their was obviously no animosity between them.

"Alright there, Harry?" Ron asked tiredly.

"Sure, never better," Harry replied sheepishly.

"What's for breakfast? I'm hungry," Looking around expectantly, there was still no sign of the house elf, "Where's Dobby?"

Hermione looked a little annoyed at Ron's expectation that the house elf should be there to answer his whimsical needs. Her jaw set and her eyes took on a fiery gleam.

"I'm sure he's waiting for you to call on him, just so he can serve you," she said waspishly.

Ron looked back at Hermione in confusion, "I only meant that..."

"Oh, I think we can all infer what you meant, Ronald," Hermione interrupted him her tone colored by anger.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley traded knowing looks. Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes. Mr. Weasley answered Ron's question for him with a tolerant look at Hermione. His eyes, always so kind and curious, had a bit of a worried look as he spoke, "Dobby has left this morning. Apparently something upset him and he disapparated away,"

"What upset him?" Ron asked.

Harry looked annoyed at the question. Ginny couldn't blame him. She was sure that if Ron only thought about it a moment, he'd clue in.

"I'm not sure," Mr. Weasley said as he turned to Hermione, "Do you know what it might have been?"

Looking suddenly uncomfortable with everyone's attention on her, Hermione looked like she wanted nothing more than to escape the room. Her face started turning a bright pink.

*POP*

In the midst of the kitchen, Dobby suddenly appeared again. He looked very distressed and was weighed down with an armful of Daily Prophets. Everyone jumped, especially Harry who seemed to have been particularly affected by the elf's sudden appearance.

"Dobby!" Harry exclaimed as he stepped forward to take the precariously piled bundle of papers the elf was carrying.

"Harry Potter is too kind!" Dobby said gratefully.

It turned out that not only did the house elf have a dozen copies of different days worth of the Daily Prophet, but he'd also done a bit of shopping. He was carrying some bacon, eggs, and the makings of biscuits in a large burlap sack he had slung over one shoulder.

While Harry was setting down the newspapers, Dobby went about putting the items out to use for making breakfast. Harry was turning back to Ginny when he heard Hermione make a loud noise.

"Oh no!"

"What is it, Hermione?" Mr. Weasley asked, his voice full of concern.

"It's Harry!" She exclaimed her voice very shrill.

Turning back to look at her, Harry was surprised to see the fearful look on her face. Her hands were trembling as she picked up a copy of the Prophet that was several days old.

On the front cover was a picture of Harry from what looked like the beginning of sixth year. Above the picture was a big, bold caption that read; 'Harry Potter; the Unstable One?'

Holding the paper in hands that shook, she read on;

'_Harry Potter the Unstable One?_

_Recent events that have occurred at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry resulting in the death of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore have recently been reported by this paper. _

_Reputedly with Professor Dumbledore at the time of his death was none other than the famed Harry Potter, aka The Chosen One. _

_Mr. Potter, who is still wanted for questioning in the death of his Headmaster, with whom reports say he was alone and off school grounds only moments prior to his death, is also now being sought for questioning in the deaths of several other wizards including the accomplished Auror Alistair "Mad-Eye" Moody, notorious murderer and Azkaban escapee Sirius Black, and fellow student Cedric Diggory. _

_Reports from eyewitness accounts suggest that Mr. Potter was with all of these individuals immediately before their untimely deaths. _

_Other students from Hogwarts have reported Harry is known to associate himself with wizards of power, such as Professor Dumbledore, or who are of questionable repute such as his former and controversial Hogwarts teacher, Professor Remus J. Lupin, who is known to be a friend of Sirius Black's and a werewolf._

_According to one student, Mr. Draco Malfoy, Potter is known to have a temper and has in the past assaulted other students when angered. This statement was supported and confirmed by other Hogwarts students Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. _

_Percy Weasley, the late brother to Potter's known friend and confidante, Ronald Weasley, and until the time of his death a working Ministry official, had been heard decrying Potter and those who support him. It is interesting to note that Mr. Weasley's death occurred outside the Ministry, along side the death of his brother who was there for unknown reasons. Could it have been an attempt to garner support for Mr. Potter and his cause? _

_Since Harry Potter is on the run and has not yet been located, he has not been able to be brought in for questioning by the Ministry. Even if it's just to clear his own name. _

_We here at the Daily Prophet caution our readers to exercise extreme caution if they are ever confronted with Harry Potter. Do not try to detain him but do call upon the Ministry of Magic who will dispatch Aurors to bring Potter in for questioning.'_

"What a load of tripe!" Ron exclaimed standing up in Harry's defense when Hermione finished reading the article.

"Language, Ron," Mrs. Weasley chided her youngest son.

"I'm sorry, Mum but they really can't expect people to believe this, can they?"

Dobby looked up at Ron and nodded his head, his eyes shining and solemn.

"Harry's Weezy is loyal to his friend, he is most noble. But he is wrong. It is bad out there for Harry Potter. He must not go outside. Many bad wizards are looking for him!"

Ginny looked at Dobby closely. It was clear that the elf really believed what he was saying. Looking at the stack of newspapers in front of them, she could see why. A motion next to her shook her out of her thoughts. Harry was leaving the room and he was in a hurry.

Looking back at the others, she could see the looks on her parents faces. The expression her mother wore particularly reflected her own feelings; there was no way Harry could have been involved in any of these things he was being linked to.

Ron stood up to follow his friend. Hermione and Ginny were right behind him. There was the sound of a door slamming from upstairs.

"Poor dear," Mrs. Weasley said quietly as she sniffled, "When we were with Harry, at Hogwarts, he was torn up over the death of Cedric Diggory..."

"Professor Dumbledore was particularly concerned for Harry," Hermione added, "He didn't want any of us to talk to him until after he'd had a chance to speak to us first. Hearing these accusations being leveled at him, even knowing that they aren't true, can't have been easy for him,"

"Harry knows that we don't believe any of that though," Ron stated firmly.

"But that doesn't make hearing it come out of the Daily Prophet any easier to bare," Mr. Weasley answered wisely.

Silent while everyone else was talking, Ginny's eyes kept going back towards the door that Harry had just left through. Her heart ached to hold him. To reassure him that no one believed any of this nonsense from the Prophet, particularly her.

"We should go after him," Ron said looking concerned.

"I think that's a good idea, but give him a minute first," Mrs. Weasley said as her eyes turned towards the ceiling, "The poor dear just had quite a shock."

Turning towards the stack of papers still on the table that were now scattered pell mell over the top of it, Mr. Weasley picked up another copy of the Prophet.

"What are you doing, Dad?" Ron asked scandalously.

"I'm reading these papers. We've been so out of touch these last few days, I want to know what's going on. Something tells me that we may have missed something important," Mr. Weasley said as he settled back to read.

Ginny was torn. She wanted to go on up after Harry. She felt that he needed her. Looking at Ron and Hermione, she could see that they felt the same way. Though truth be told it also looked like Hermione too wanted to get her hands on another one of the papers Dobby had brought back with him.

Her mother caught her eye. There was a great sadness there. Her mum had been through so much. But there was love and kindness too. Ginny knew that her mother understood. That was confirmed when she nodded at her only daughter, "Go on, Dear. I think Harry needs you right now."

That was all Ginny needed to hear.


	13. A New Ministry

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **Alright, since I felt bad for it taking so long to post last time, I decided to add another chapter. Hope everyone likes it. Any notes, reviews, etc are welcome. Thanks and Enjoy!

**Chapter 13**

She ran upstairs and looked first in Harry's room. When he wasn't in there that she could see, Ginny tried the attic. Up here there was a tiny window that let in just enough light to see by. That it faced the rising sun helped. She could see Harry's shadow on the floor. Even from over by the door, Ginny could hear him. He was crying.

Quietly she crept over to where Harry was sitting. Ginny remembered it was here in the attic that Sirius often retreated to be with Buckbeak/Witherwings. The blankets on the floor must have been from that time. Right now, they were serving Harry as something to keep him warm while he dealt with those things that were bothering him.

Standing there silently, watching the man she loved at his most vulnerable, Ginny thought back to the conversation they had shared just that very morning. She was convinced now more than ever that he was scared to face Voldemort again. She also knew that he would do it when the time came. There was something else that she was quite convinced of as well; that Harry let more things get to him than he let on.

He had talked to her, briefly, about what had happened when Dumbledore had died. That was right before he broke things off with her. While they had not had much of a chance to discus how the deaths of Sirius and Cedric or Mad-Eye had affected him, Ginny inferred from what she knew of Harry that these losses would run deep. Now she was being proven right.

Ginny could dwell on the fact that she was right about Harry. That she knew him well enough to be correct in her suppositions about him. Except that that wasn't like her. What she saw in front of her then, in that moment, was that Harry needed her.

Sitting down next to him, Ginny took Harry in her arms and held him tightly for the second time that day. That he didn't bother resisting meant the world to her. It told her that Harry trusted her. He trusted her not only with his secrets but with his feelings and his heart as well. For Ginny that was a gift worth more than if he'd handed her a new Firebolt. It told her how much Harry loved her.

A sound from behind them made her turn and look. She saw the concerned faces of Ron and Hermione. She noticed that they were holding hands. Ginny wondered absently if they even realized it.

Then Hermione came forward and sat by Harry and Ginny, trying to give comfort where she could. Even Ron sat nearby quietly watching his sister and friends.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, "Harry, it's alright. No one believes any of those things..."

"She's right mate. The Prophet is just spouting Death Eater garbage. We know you can't trust anything that they're saying," Ron added.

At the sounds of their voices, Harry looked up and wiped roughly at his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, his cheeks flushed.

"No, Harry. It's alright. That was enough to give anyone a turn," Hermione said comfortingly.

"Harry love..." Ginny began but Harry was sitting up now shaking his head.

"It's not..." He faltered.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked him, love and patience in her tone.

"It's just that...that...that I've never really been able to...mourn them. Not properly..."

"What do you mean?" Ginny was curious.

Harry's face became a mask. His eyes were turned inward, looking into the visions that only memory could provide. The expression in his eyes, the hollow tone to his voice gave meaning to his words. What it was that he was remembering was not something pleasant.

"When Cedric...died. It was right at the end of fourth year. Professor Dumbledore had a lot of work to do. He spoke to me and explained how what happened was not my fault. But then school was over."

Harry sighed heavily as he continued, his voice losing what life there was in it the deeper he got into his memories. "Just like that, we were through. It was the train ride home and then...nothing. From anyone. You all know that Professor Dumbledore was keeping everything quiet from me. I know that he thought he had a good reason but still that didn't help...things.

That summer at my Aunt and Uncle's was bad to say the least. I had nightmares. All the time. Nightmares of how Cedric died. Of how Voldemort came back. I watched over and over in my dreams how he came back and how Cedric was killed. But that wasn't the worst of it," Harry sighed here and looked up at his friends. His eyes begged them to understand.

"My family, if you want to call them that, they didn't care. If anything all they did was make things worse. I tried to keep out of the house and away from them as much as I could. I would lie in the bushes outside. I would walk the streets. I would sit in the park. All I wanted was someone that I could talk to. Someone who would understand. But no, I was kept in the dark.

Then the Dementors came. Right there in Little Whinging and there they were. They attacked me and my cousin. I fought them off and only because of that, because I did magic in front of muggles and the Ministry was trying to make me look bad, I was taken from my Aunt and Uncles place and brought here.

I thought things would be better at first. But then, even after my trial, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't talk to me," Harry wiped his eyes again now.

He looked out the window and allowed his mind to take him back to that time, just a few short years ago.

" You all remember what fifth year was like. You were there. I'm sure you remember it just as well as I do. Umbridge, the Inquisitorial Squad, what all of that was like.

Then there was that bloody mess of a night when we went to the Ministry. I really did think that Sirius was in trouble. He was the only family I had, I had to try and help him. Only it was a trap. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were using me to get to that stupid prophecy," Harry shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

He didn't see the tears running down the faces of Hermione and Ginny, or the sickened, upset look on Ron's face as they remembered the events of that year along with Harry. They too relived their own grief for the ones who they had known who'd died. Except that Harry wasn't through.

"When Sirius came with the others from the Order and saved us, it felt grand. Like we were really doing something important to help the Order. Never mind that it was my fault that they were there in the first place. Never mind that it would be my fault when...when he died," His voice cracked now.

Never had Harry truly taken the time to go through things like he was at that moment. He'd never really been able to allow himself to truly feel the loss of his godfather, Cedric, or even Professor Dumbledore. Those feelings were coming up now and he was powerless to stop them.

"Again, that was at the end of the school year. Dumbledore tried to help me as best he could but still he didn't have a lot of time. Sure he apologized for the way things went that summer. Maybe he blamed himself for taking away some of the time with Sirius that I could have had, who knows?

When the school year ended and I was taken off the train, Moody and a couple of others made a point of talking to my Uncle and telling him to lay off of me. And that worked, for awhile. They ignored me as much as I ignored them. But still, there are certain things that you don't do at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Not if you know what's good for you. So I couldn't say anything. I couldn't really talk to anyone. Sure we exchanged letters but that's not the same as talking, you know?"

Harry was quiet now as his mind went over and over the things he was describing. He would wipe at his eyes from time to time but only seldom did he look at his friends. It was almost like he was ashamed for showing this part of himself. Like he thought that they, his friends, would think less of him for telling them this. When he went on, it was almost like he was talking to himself.

"Then Professor Dumbledore sent that note. The one telling me that he would be picking me up himself from Privet Drive," Harry smiled a little at this memory, but it was a sad, reminiscent smile that spoke of memories past.

"They didn't know what to make of him when he showed up. It was precisely at eleven o'clock in the evening. Uncle Dursley wasn't happy about a visitor calling at that hour. I wasn't sure that he would show, so I never said anything.

Professor Dumbledore asked them, my Aunt and Uncle, if I could return to their home one more time. That the magic that protected me there would last until I turned seventeen. After that, he..." Harry swallowed hard here, his voice became nothing more than the quietest whisper, "He then told them off for the way that they treated me all those years. You could tell that he was really mad, though he never once raised his voice. I...I never got a chance to thank him for that. I never got to tell him how much that meant to me. Not that it did a lot of good. Not then anyway. Dudley seemed to come around a bit, but that was later.

Sixth year was hard. Trying to learn from Snape was a nightmare. The only things that made it bearable were Quidditch, my lessons with Dumbledore, and figuring things out with you," Harry's eyes were on Ginny now.

Her eyes were wet from the tears they shed. To hear Harry describe finding her and beginning his relationship with her as one of the highpoints of his entire year made her heart swell even more. Then Harry went on.

"Dumbledore died not long after that. There were so many things I found out later that I wanted to ask him. How well did he know my parents? Why did he have my Dad's Invisibility Cloak? How come he never mentioned that he was from Godric's Hollow? Those were things we could have shared. Didn't that mean anything to him?

I would have loved to talk to him about any one of those things.

This last summer, it was the last time I would live at Privet Drive. We left that night and Mad-Eye was killed. It's not like we really had a chance to mourn him. Something was always going on. There was the reading of Dumbledore's will, my birthday, preparing for the wedding, then watching Bill and Fleur get married. When the Death Eaters attacked, we just acted. Where was the time to say good-bye?"

Harry shook his head, running his fingers through his already untidy hair again. Looking up at his friends, he looked each one directly in the eyes. He started and ended with Ginny. Both times she felt her stomach tighten involuntarily as he turned those emerald green orbs on her. "I know what it is that I have to do. That we have to do. But I really don't want to lose any more friends. I don't know how well I could take that," Harry sighed heavily as he wiped his eyes one last time, "I'm sorry I lost it back there."

"I don't think anyone could deny what you've been through, mate. That kind of thing has to take its toll on a bloke, you know?" Ron said awkwardly.

Ginny looked at her brother. She knew that he had a capacity to be kind. But this was different. This was compassion. It was a side of Ron that she wasn't used to seeing, though it was not the first time she'd seen that side of him. She remembered well his kindnesses from this last summer, after Harry had broken things off with her. She smiled at her brother. That smile widened when Hermione reached out and took his hand.

"Ron's right, Harry. But you know that we're here for you, right?" Hermione asked him.

"Yeah, I know that. You lot made that pretty clear last night. I was just too big a git to really pay attention to it," was Harry's sheepish reply.

"We love you, Harry. We're in this with you. We just have to decide what to do next," There was no mistaking the earnest look in Hermione's eyes. Ginny and Ron were nodding their agreement.

"You saw what I went through. I know I asked you before, but are you sure you want to go with me on this? I'm alright if you say no," Harry hedged.

Ron's hand was on Harry's shoulder as he replied; "And like we told you before, we're with you, mate. Until the end. Until it all ends,"

"Then let's finish this," Harry said firmly.

They stood up and there was a moment of hugs and embraces. Ginny saw Harry glance down at the joined hands of Ron and Hermione. When he looked back up at her, she winked and took his hand in her own. Together they all went back downstairs.

The next few days would have seemed like any other to a casual observer. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were developing a routine of picking up various spell books which they would then read and practice out of.

As a group they also practiced doing spells non-verbally. Ginny knew that this was something that Harry had had problems with previously. It was a credit to Hermione and her patience with him that he was able to finally, after what seemed like endless trying and practicing, get the hang of it. Of course some spells were easier to do non verbally than others.

It felt like they were back in first year; starting first with easy spells that they had mastered quickly in first year and then from there the non-verbal spells they tried became progressively more difficult. That first day was the most difficult. All of them went to bed that evening feeling like they had done a full day of schooling, which in essence they had.

For Ginny it felt wonderful to truly be able to use magic again. She felt it was because of this that she was so quick to master doing spells non-verbally. The only one magical skill that everyone was hesitant to teach her was how to Apparate.

When she asked why, it was Ron surprisingly who told her about getting splinched. She would have found his story funny if the thought of something else, like an arm or leg, getting splinched wasn't so frightening.

One thing quickly became apparent though. It was at the end of the third day when Harry was magically fixing a broken mantle clock that Hermione exclaimed; "We really need somewhere more conducive to practice in,"

"Like where, Hermione? I don't think we're going to be able to find anywhere else right now," Ron replied rubbing a sore shoulder.

"I don't know, but there has to be something. What about Bill and Fleur's place?"

"Hermione, it's a small cottage. They have less room there than we do," Ron said.

They were putting couch cushions back on the couch. They had been practicing summoning and then repelling them. It was only within the last few hours that they started routinely having any luck with their efforts.

Once the cushions were back in place they sat down in the drawing room. It was decided to call and end to their training for the day. Harry, who had taken to carrying around the locket left by Regulus in his pocket, took it out and started playing with it absently while the group started talking again.

"What we need is something like the Room of Requirement," Ginny said remembering the room where the D.A. practiced their lessons.

"Good luck finding something like that here," Ron was settling back into the seat he'd taken on the couch, his arms crossed behind his head.

"What about the basement?" Asked Hermione as she sat down next to Ron.

Glancing over at him nervously, she scooted herself a little closer to him. Ginny took it as a good sign that Ron didn't seem to notice. She knew that Hermione had been trying to do more to get Ron's attention. She thought that things were looking up for her friend when they were holding hands the other night when Harry was so upset. That was the last time she'd seen anything like that out of her brother.

Harry on the other hand had no such reservations. With the possible exception of when her parents were in the room, he would often hold her hand or let her fuss over him. Ginny sensed that as far as he was concerned, Harry didn't care about any of the stuff that Ron seemed to get upset about. He was just happy to be with her again.

"What about the basement?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Has anyone been down there to look around? Maybe we could practice down there," Looking around for any objections to her suggestion, Hermione suggested, she looked like she was ready to stand up and leave the room.

"Can we look into it tomorrow?" Asked Ron.

He had put his arms down and looked a little startled to find his hand now resting on Hermione's. There was a moment where Ron didn't look like he quite knew what to do. Then he left his hand where it was. Ginny smiled but hers wasn't half as big a smile as the one Hermione wore. If Harry noticed, he didn't say anything. He just continued to play with the locket.

"Why do you do that, Harry?" Ron asked him suddenly.

"I don't know. I've been trying to think about what it means and how we're going to find the real one,"

"But do you have to continue playing with it like that?" Ron added, "It's driving me round the twist!"

"Short drive is it Ron?" Ginny asked him with a grin.

Ron looked at Ginny in annoyance as Hermione stifled a giggle. Meanwhile Harry opened the locket again and removed the note inside. He was staring at that note when Dobby walked into the room with a tray of refreshments. On it was a flagon of pumpkin juice and four cups.

While Dobby was pouring the Pumpkin Juice he stopped suddenly when he saw the locket in Harry's hands. Ginny saw his eyes widen in recognition of the locket Harry held.

"Did Harry Potter find Kreacher's locket?" Dobby asked.

Ginny felt Harry freeze beside her. She saw him close his hand on the locket, and he didn't seem aware of the fact that he crumpled the note in his and as well. Ginny watched him as he studied the elf for a moment.

"Kreacher's locket?" Harry asked carefully.

There was a note of excitement in his tone. Ginny could feel the sudden tension in him. It was easy to understand why. It looked like they may have just stumbled on to something just sitting there in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place.

"When Dobby was at Hogwarts, Kreacher talked about his master's locket. Kreacher said that it was taken from him," Dobby began.

"Dobby," Hermione said leaning forward now, "Did the locket look like this one? Do you know?"

"Dobby never saw the locket, miss. Dobby only heard Kreacher talk bad about Harry Potter and talk about his locket that was stolen from his house." Dobby's eyes seemed to follow the locket in Harry's hands as they anxiously opened and closed the locket. The note from R.A.B. now lying forgotten on the floor.

Ginny could see by the look on Harry's face that he was thinking hard. She didn't know exactly what was on his mind but thought she might have a good idea when Harry said; "Oh my goodness, it couldn't be...Kreacher, I need you!"

Everyone in the room jumped, even Dobby.

"Bloody Hell Harry, what in blazes was that about?" Ron asked as he looked up at his friend looking annoyed.

But Ron never got his answer. With a loud POP Kreacher appeared in their midst. He was dressed in an old flour sack that was tied over one shoulder. His hands were covered in flour and some had found its way onto his face. The old, grizzled house elf looked none too happy to have been called back to Grimmauld Place by Harry. His wrinkles hung off him in folds and they deepened especially around his eyes as they widened at the sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny in front of him.

"Master called?" His voice was a creepy rasp, "Vile friend to mudbloods and blood traitors that he is. Mistress would be very upset to have this filth in her house,"

Ginny felt a deep dislike of the house elf. Apparently so did Ron because his ears turned red as he replied harshly, "We can hear you, you know!"

"The Blood Traitor talked to Kreacher, Kreacher will pretend that he cannot hear him,"

"Maybe all that hair in his ears has made him deaf," Ron commented to no one in particular.

"Kreacher! Stop calling my friends names!" Harry ordered him.

Immediately the elf's mouth shut. Ginny could see his mouth working but there was no sound coming out of it. Hermione however took an issue with Harry's tone.

"Harry, you need to be nice to him,"

Ginny thought that Hermione must be mental to ask him to be nice to that wretched thing. Apparently Harry agreed because his next statement was just as angrily spoken,

"Kreacher, you are forbidden from calling Hermione a mudblood and Ron and Ginny or anyone else here a blood traitor!"

The mouth of Kreacher continued still to work and it was still without sound. His eyes looked daggers at Harry. Harry looked them right back at the elf. Ginny waited while Harry decided what to do next.

"Kreacher," Harry began slowly, he looked like he was figuring this out as he went along, "I need to talk to you. I want you to answer my questions, and answer them truthfully. Is that clear?"

Hermione looked annoyed. Harry's voice carried no kindness to it but neither was it overly hostile. Ron looked like Ginny felt; happy to go along with things for now.

"Kreacher will do as his master wishes," he said in his bullfrog voice, "Kreacher would rather not but he has no choice,"

Harry left this alone. Instead he held up the locket he'd been holding in his hand. He let it fall to the end of it's chain and watched the venerable house elf's reaction to seeing it. Watching him, Ginny didn't think anyone was prepared for what happened next.

Kreacher's eyes went wide and his face looked horrified at what Harry was holding in his hand.

"Do you know this locket?" Harry asked watching his house elf closely.

"Master Regulus' locket! You have his locket!"

"So you do know it!" Ron exclaimed excitedly.

Kreacher turned his eyes on Ron, "Yes, Kreacher knows that locket,"

"What do you know about it, Kreacher?" Hermione asked him kindly.

"The mudblood speaks to Kreacher, oh how his mistress would look upon him if he answered her," Kreacher said sounding revolted.

Dobby gave an involuntary squeal. Kreacher had just violated an order, a direct order from his master. Harry glanced at Dobby but addressed his comment to his elf;

"Kreacher! I told you not to call my friends names! You will NOT refer to Hermione as a mudblood!" Harry barked angrily.

He needn't have said anything. The elf was already running full speed towards the wall, looking to ram his head into it. Ginny dove after him and caught him by his ankles. The elf struggled against her for a moment and then began wailing and beating his fists on the floor.

"Oh no! Make him stop, please make him stop!" Hermione cried.

With a surprised look at Kreacher's reaction, it was a milder tone that came from Harry this time, "Kreacher, please stop trying to hurt yourself,"

Immediately the house elf complied. He turned and looked at Harry and found Harry looking back at him. They seemed to be studying each other. That they both disliked each other immensely was obvious. Kreacher's gaze upon Harry was just as cold as the one Harry gave back to him.

After a moment, Harry spoke again. He was quieter this time but his next statement was no less a command because of it.

"She asked you a question, Kreacher. What do you know about this locket?"

For a moment his eyes remained on Harry's before they went back to the locket in his hand. Then the elf burst into tears. They were tears of frustration at having to obey an order he didn't want to, they were tears from years of built up guilt and shame.

The sobs wracked the pitiful body of the elf. Even Dobby, who held no love for Kreacher and had reacted in shock at the elf's blatant disobedience of Harry's order, looked at the crying elf with a pained expression.

Hermione tried to reach out to him but the elf made an enraged noise and lunged angrily at her. Hermione jumped just as Ron was reaching forward to defend her.

"Hey, you leave her alone!" Ron shouted at him,

"Kreacher, I'm sorry," Hermione said tearfully.

How Hermione could apologize to the house elf after he'd just lunged at her was beyond Ginny. She knew that Hermione had a soft spot for these beings but thought that maybe she was carrying it a little too far, "He just tried to attack you, Hermione,"

"He doesn't understand what he's doing!" she argued.

"Oh yes he does, just like his precious mistress, Kreacher falls in with the old Black family line. No tolerance for those that don't have pure blood is it Kreacher?" Harry asked.

The elf just continued crying and sobbing on the floor.

"I'm waiting to hear about this locket," Harry told him coldly.

After a few more moments of crying and wailing, Kreacher calmed enough to begin talking. He said; "Kreacher was a good house elf once. Master Regulus was particularly fond of Kreacher. He wasn't like his brother Sirius who broke his mother's heart with his care-free ways. Sirius who turned his back on his noble pure-blood heritage. Regulus embraced it. He was noble and pure. When he was sixteen, Regulus was allowed to join the Dark Lord and help him with his cause of ridding the world of those wizards whose blood was not pure.

When Master came to see Kreacher one day, he said that the Dark Lord needed an elf. Master volunteered Kreacher for the duty. It was an honor Master said, for Kreacher to serve the Dark Lord. Master told Kreacher he was a good elf. He told Kreacher that he must do the Dark Lord's bidding and return home,"

At this point, the elf took a moment to collect himself. It was clear that telling this story was taking its toll on him. His eyes watered, his nose ran, and his ears quivered as her spoke. He sat curled in a tight ball on the floor, his head resting on his knees as he obeyed Harry's order to tell him about the locket.

"So it was Voldemort who asked for an elf? Why? I thought the locket belonged to Regulus!" Harry asked.

Ginny thought he looked a good deal like there was something important here that he wasn't getting. She reached out and put a calming hand on Harry's arm and felt him relax a little.

While they listened, the four people and Dobby became more and more engrossed in the story. They were quiet and thoughtful as the old elf continued with his tale.

"Kreacher did as he was commanded. He went with the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a dark cave by the sea..."

At this Ginny watched as Harry's color paled and he closed his eyes. She remembered Harry telling her that the locket he had came from a cave such as this. It must be the one! She listened as Kreacher recounted his tale of going to that cave, being made to drink some vile potion and then how the Dark Lord left him there to die.

First expressions of disbelief then horror covered their faces as they listened to Kreacher tell about how he, nearly dying with thirst, went to the black water to drink. Hermione gave an involuntary gasp as he told them about being dragged under the water by the Infiri only to escape back to his home at Grimmauld Place.

At this point, Harry held up his hand. "Hang on, you can't apparate out of that cave. If you could then Dumbledore would have apparated us into it so we wouldn't have had to swim."

"Don't you see Harry?" Hermione said to him, "Humans can't apparate out of the cave, but elves can."

"She's right," Ron added, "House elves have their own magic and its supposed to be very powerful in its own right,"

"I bet You-Know-Who didn't think about that when he took Kreacher to that cave, did he?" Ginny ventured.

"Probably not. He probably didn't think a house elf could possibly posses any magic he himself didn't have," Hermione agreed.

By this time Kreacher had resumed crying. Looking like she wanted to reach out and comfort the vile creature, Hermione restrained herself. Ron put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She reached up and held it there.

Kreacher was going on about the effects that the potion had had on him; "He cried for his Mistress, he cried for his Master, Kreacher even cried for Miss Bella and Miss Cissy, but no one came. No one came for poor Kreacher..."

"Kreacher," Harry interrupted him, his color was still chalky pale; "What happened after you came back here? I know this locket isn't the one you put into that bowl in the cave by the lake when you went with Voldemort. What happened next?"

Ginny noted that Harry's voice, while firm, was softer than it had been before. There was a note of kindness in it. For his part, Kreacher must have noticed something too. He responded more readily to Harry's request for information.

"Kreacher returned to his Master and told him what had happened. Master Regulus listened to him as Kreacher told him about the lake, the boat, the potion, and the locket and the bowl where the locket was put. But Master Regulus was worried. He was very worried when he heard what Kreacher told him.

He told Kreacher to stay in the house and to remain hidden. He told Kreacher never to speak of this locket to anyone. Then, it was many months later, Master came to visit Kreacher in his cupboard. He was acting strange; not right in the head. He asked Kreacher to take him to the cave where the locket was hidden.

Master went with Kreacher to the dark cave. Kreacher showed master how to gain entrance to the hidden chamber. How to raise the boat and travel across the black lake to the island where the locket was hidden. Once there Master gave Kreacher his last orders.

Kreacher was to help Master drink the potion, all of it. Then Kreacher was to put the other locket in place of the one that the Dark Lord had put into the bowl. He then was bidden to take the locket and bring it home to destroy it. Above all else, Kreacher was to destroy the locket.

Poor Master. He drank the potion and crawled to the water just as Kreacher did. Kreacher begged and begged him not to drink the water. Not to call up the Infiri who were waiting inside. Master was even more disturbed. He did not hear Kreacher. He drank. And they came. Again Kreacher left after putting the false locket in place of the real one. Kreacher brought the real locket home. And...and...Kreacher failed his orders!" He wailed even harder now.

It took them some time to get the house elf to calm down. Dobby spoke up at this point, his voice full of pity for his fellow elf, "Kreacher brought back the locket but couldn't destroy it. A house elf's highest law is to obey their master. There is no choice not to,"

"You weren't successful destroying the locket?" Ginny asked, curious as to how the house elf could have possibly failed in his orders.

He looked at her pleadingly as he answered; "No. Nothing Kreacher did worked on the locket. Nothing made a mark or a dent. Kreacher could not open the locket to destroy it either. It would not open. Kreacher could not destroy the locket as he was ordered and he failed!"

"Kreacher," Harry growled, "I'm sure you feel bad about your failure. I bet you're all broken up over it. Just like I'm sure you were broken up over helping Bellatrix when she needed information to help kill Sirius too."

"Harry, stop. Please!" Hermione cried.

Looking at her Ginny could see she had tears in her eyes. What was she playing at? All Kreacher had ever done was work against Harry and the members of the Order. Harry was right to dislike him. When had the elf ever done anything worth respect?

"Harry, don't you see? No one was ever kind to him. He's starved for affection. Isn't that rather like the way you felt when you stayed with your Aunt and Uncle? Your situations aren't so very far apart,"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

But Ginny could see it. She saw right away what it was that Hermione was talking about and where her reasoning was headed.

"Are you saying I'm like him?" Harry asked. He looked thunderstruck by the thought.

"No, Harry. What I'm saying is look at how you felt living with your Aunt and Uncle. I'm sure you remember how you felt when they were needlessly cruel. Kreacher was loyal to those who were nice to him. I'm certain that's why he liked Regulus and disliked Sirius..."

"Don't you start on Sirius,"

"Harry," Ginny interjected gently, "I loved Sirius too. I miss him just like you do. But I'm not so blind to miss the fact that Sirius didn't like Kreacher. If Regulus did and was nice to him, doesn't it make sense that Kreacher would feel loyalty to him?"

He looked from Hermione to Ginny and back again.

"I think that's why its Miss Bella and Miss Cissy. I'm sure they were perfectly nice to him. So I don't think he minded it when they asked him if he would mind doing a few favors for them," Reasoned Hermione plaintatively.

"So you're saying if we're nice to him, that maybe we'll get somewhere with all of this?" Ron asked skeptically.

"Yes Ron, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Harry seemed to think on what Hermione and Ginny were telling him. He took a deep breath and then said, "Kreacher, you er...did well. You brought the locket back like you were told,"

Hermione was nodding encouragement now. Ginny took Harry's hand in both of hers in a show of encouragement and support. He traded unsure glances with Ron as he continued.

"Kreacher, since you made it back home with the locket, do you know where it is now?"

Kreacher was looking at Harry now as if he were re-evaluating him. It prompted Harry to add, "Please, Kreacher. This is important. You were ordered to destroy that locket. I know how to do it. I'll help you to follow the orders you were given," Harry replied as nicely as he could.

At this the elf's eyes watered again. He started crying and wailing. His nose was running profusely. He wiped at it occasionally with the hem of his outfit.

Ginny felt Harry tense as he watched the house elf for a few minutes, giving him some time. Figuring it couldn't hurt anything, she added, "Please Kreacher. This is very important. Master Regulus would be very proud of you,"

Finally, after several minutes of crying and hiccoughing, the elf calmed down enough to speak again.

"Not long after Master Sirius died, the sneak thief Mundungus Fletcher came. He went through it all. He even stole from Kreacher's cupboard. He tried to stop Mundungus but the thief prevailed. The locket is gone,"

"Can you find it? Can you find Mundungus and bring him here?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Harry, wait!" Ron said quickly, "If you have him bring Dung here, my parents and whoever else is here is going to want to know why you have your house elf doing things like that. They'll want to know what's going on,"

"So what do you suggest, Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Where is there to go?" Hermione asked, "We can't bring him here, we can't take him to Shell Cottage. Hogwarts is out. Where else is there?"

Harry looked around thoughtfully for a few minutes.

"I've got it!" He cried.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Kreacher, I need you to find Mundungus Fletcher. First however we need to set up somewhere else so that when you do find Dung we have a place where we can speak to him. Can a house elf's magic help protect against muggles and other wizards?"

"Yes, Sir," Dobby answered first. He seemed to resent being left out of things.

"Dobby, I need you to stay here for now and continue helping out Ron's Mum and Dad. Kreacher wouldn't be missed which is why I need him," Harry explained.

"What are you planning, Harry?" asked Ron.

"I've got an idea, and a place we can go," Harry replied as he turned to Hermione, "How long will it take you to get ready? I mean really ready to go?"

"I don't know. A day, maybe two. Why Harry? What is it you have planned?"

Looking first at Dobby then at Kreacher, Harry said, "I need for you two not to say anything to anyone about what we're doing or about what we've talked about. Please. Kreacher this is an order. Dobby, you're a free elf. I can only ask you and hope that you'll do as I ask,"

"Harry Potter is Dobby's friend. Dobby is happy to serve Harry Potter. Dobby won't say anything. Harry Potter can call on Dobby whenever he needs him and Dobby will come!" The house elf said sweeping a low bow, his nose touching the floor.

"Kreacher will do as his master commands," He croaked. He almost sounded hopeful.

"Harry, will you please tell us what it is that you're planning to do?" Ginny asked him.

"We all knew that we'd have to leave again. We're going to do just that,"

"But where are we going to go?" Asked Hermione.

"Yeah, I thought we just determined that there isn't anywhere to go," Ron added fearfully.

"I thought you told me you had a tent," Ginny said to Hermione.

"We do, and we can use that if we need to however my impression is that Harry has something of a plan,"

"I do," Harry said with little enthusiasm.

"Well, what is it then?" Ron shouted in frustration.

Harry sighed heavily. It looked to Ginny like he was reluctant to say. Even more it looked as if he was reluctant to have to follow through with the plan he'd come up with.

"What is it, Harry? Go on, tell us," She prodded.

"We go to my Aunt and Uncle's place in Little Whinging. The Death Eaters will never think to look for us there," He sighed.

"But Harry, didn't you hear Remus? The Death Eaters are staking out anywhere that has any connection to you. They're bound to have someone stationed there too." Hermione countered.

"Where else is there, Hermione? The Order has already placed loads of protective spells and enchantments on it. It will give us a roof over our heads and allow us to deal with Mundungus. We can plan our next move from there as well,"

"I don't like this Harry," Hermione said reluctantly.

"Neither do I, mate. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Ron looked skeptical, but resolute.

"You're both forgetting one thing; the same thing that Voldemort himself forgot with Kreacher here," Harry said with a triumphant look.

"Of course!" Ginny exclaimed, "That's why you asked Kreacher about his magic! You think that the Death Eaters will discount it and that it will make us safe!"

"As safe as we can be, anyway. You're exactly right." Harry smiled at her adoringly.

"That's brilliant!" Ron enthused.

"Really, Harry, if that works," Hermione intoned disbelievingly.

"If it works. If it doesn't, we'll have to figure out something else," Harry cautioned them.

It was later that same evening when the next surprise was dumped on their laps. It was after dinner and everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Kreacher had been sent back to Hogwarts for the time being. Dobby had returned to his self appointed duties keeping the house and those inside it comfortable.

After several hours of reading through the stack of Daily Prophets, Mr. Weasley called everyone into the kitchen. The face he wore was unusually serious and could even be described as grave.

"It looks like while we've been holed up in here, there have been some interesting developments in the Wizarding World. None of them have been very good," Mr. Weasley began.

"Harry, this may be hard to hear, but the Prophet has all but directly accused you of being responsible for the deaths of Dumbledore, Cedric Diggory, Mad-Eye, and even some muggles that have met with what the Prophet calls mysterious ends.

I think what they're trying to do is to discredit you everywhere they can. They likely reckon that if they can turn enough people against you, then not enough people will want to stand with you to give them any cause to worry,"

Mr. Weasley's gaze turned towards Hermione; "I know that you're aware of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. The Ministry is almost completely under the control of You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters now. From what the Prophet is reporting, many Muggle-Borns are attempting to cause trouble or to flee what the Ministry says is just and rightful questioning. The Muggle-Borns who've been caught by the Ministry are being detained. The Prophet doesn't say where, but it's a safe bet where they're being put,"

Hermione's eyes widened in realization as she said fearfully, "Azkaban,"

"My suspicion is that you're correct," Mr. Weasley nodded dejectedly.

"Azkaban, Arthur? Do you really think they'll take things that far?" Mrs. Weasley looked quite upset at hearing this.

"Yes, Molly. I do. They have to have a place to put all of the people they round up and Azkaban is the only place that truly makes sense," Speculated Mr. Weasley.

"What about the half bloods? What are they going to do with them?" Ron asked fearfully.

"Ron, there aren't enough pure bloods to run things with the way the Ministry is taking things. I imagine those who are not of pureblood descent will have to answer some questions. At the very least they'll be given the menial jobs that nobody really wants. All of the jobs of leadership or that might give someone some power will go to the Death Eaters or those who can prove their pureblood status that also support the Death Eater's cause,"

Mr. Weasley sighed and then held up a copy of the Prophet that was dated the day after Harry had gone off to Hogwarts, "This confirms what I suspect."

"What is it?" Harry asked as he gestured towards the paper in Mr. Weasley's hand.

"Look and see," Mr. Weasley handed him the paper.

Ginny watched as Harry took the paper and read it. As he did, his eyes widened at the sight of the article he was reading.

"What is it, Harry?" She asked.

"Snape! He's been confirmed as Hogwarts Headmaster! There's an interview with him here," Harry replied angrily.

"Snape? Headmaster of Hogwarts? That's mental!" Ron was not happy.

His ears turned red and he stood up and came around to read the paper over Harry's shoulder. As he read Ginny watched his ears color even more and then watched as it spread to the back of his neck.

"That flea bitten son of a..."

"RON!" Hermione and Mrs. Weasley exclaimed together.

He looked up and apologized half heartedly, "Sorry, but this is...this is... This is bile!"

"That's the way it is, Ron," Mr. Weasley sighed.

"But this? This is wrong! No more houses. No more sorting. Changes in discipline to be overseen by a dedicated disciplinarian. The list of classes available to be taught at Hogwarts is changing. Attendance is now mandatory for all children who are of half blood or pure blood descent. How can anyone allow this?" Harry added agreeing with his friend.

"What about Hagrid?" Ginny asked thoughtfully, "He's half giant. What are they going to do with him?"

"Or Firenze," Added a now visibly upset Hermione, "He's a centaur on the staff. He won't be able to teach and he's been banished from the forest. He can't go back, he'll be killed!"

Ron, trying very hard not to be obvious, went over behind Hermione and placed his hands on her shoulders. She glanced at him in mild surprise and smiled at him gratefully.

"With the current government we have, that is a distinct possibility," Mr. Weasley replied sadly.

The conversation lasted well into the night. It was a depressed and dejected Mrs. Weasley who gave them all a last cup of cocoa and then it was time for bed.

Everyone went upstairs and got into their pajamas however tensions were running high. Neither Harry nor Ron were feeling tired enough to get any sleep. Harry was sitting in Ron's room and they were talking about the current status of the wizarding world, the Ministry of Magic, and how things were changing in general.

A soft knock on the door sounded only moments before it opened. It was Ginny and Hermione. They entered the room, locked the door, and Hermione wordlessly waved her wand at the door one final time. When Ron looked at her inquiringly, her only reply was; "Muffliato,"

The room was quiet for a moment before Ron asked the obvious; "You two couldn't sleep either?"

"No," Ginny said as she crawled up onto Harry's bed sitting next to him. Hermione sat down next to Ron and was rewarded as he awkwardly put his hand on her arm. She gave a little smile and which seemed to hearten Ron, but he did no more.

"Harry, things out there are bad,"

"I know, Hermione. I know. This has to end. We need to get started hunting down and destroying those horcruxes again," Harry said, his voice underlining his conviction.

"So since we're going to do this, when do we go? We told Kreacher about three days," Ron said quietly.

His arm had worked its way up and around Hermione's shoulders now. She was beaming and blushing happily and leaned into him a little bit.

Ginny sat and watched this little byplay between Ron and Hermione feeling a mild sense of amusement. It was so obvious that they liked each other. She was glad that Ron seemed to be finally getting it. He could be a royal git when he wanted to, but he was good for Hermione. She hoped that this thing they were about to do wouldn't get in the way of whatever chance they had. For that matter, she was determined not to let it get in the way of any chance she had with Harry either. The sooner all of this business ended with the Ministry of Magic and You-Know-Who, the better.

"Are you sure you really want to go? You just heard what things are really like out there," Harry hedged.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione exchanged exasperated looks.

"Harry, we've been over this. No one is backing out. We're going to see this through," Ginny replied.

Reaching up and kissing his cheek, she added; "No matter how it ends. We're here for you. Let's go."

"Right then," Harry nodded as he smiled grimly, "We go. Three days. Hermione, will you be ready?"

"Yes, I will be."

"Ron, do you need to do anything?"

"No mate, I'm as ready as I get,"

"Ginny?"

She answered him by kissing him. She kissed him deeply and he let her pull him into her arms. She knew Ron would be upset but he'd live. This was the only way she could think of, short of cursing Harry, to get him to quit asking them if they were sure they wanted to go.

When the kiss broke, a slightly delirious and breathless Harry swallowed hard and said, "Right then. Day after tomorrow, we go,"

About bloody time, Ginny thought.


	14. Return to Privet Drive

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **A longer chapter. For those of you wondering when the action will begin, take heart. It's coming and soon.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this. If you could also take a wee moment to pen a short review- I'd be grateful. Thanks!

**Chapter 14**

_Harry_ went to bed that night with a lot on his mind. The last couple days had been very turbulent. Being cursed and then talked to by Ginny, Ron, and Hermione didn't stop him from wanting to protect them. However it did give him a much deeper appreciation for their loyalty to him. It also helped him to realize how much help they contributed to what had to be done.

Thinking back on it, Harry was a little saddened now that he hadn't noticed Ginny earlier to let her be involved sooner. She was proving to be an invaluable part of what he'd shared with Ron and Hermione. She was smart, intuitive, and a very capable witch. She didn't like a lot of drama and wasn't afraid to make her opinions known. He resolved to not let that past mistake repeat itself. She was a part of this now too.

After they finished making and then refining their plans for leaving again, the group broke up to go to bed. Harry went to his room while Ginny and Hermione went to theirs. Ron, who was already in his room, was already rolling over to go to sleep as everyone else left.

Lying awake in Sirius' old bedroom, he had his arms clasped behind his head and stared at the ceiling looking at nothing. The thought forefront on his mind was the fact that he was returning to Privet Drive. He had barely said good-bye to that forsaken place and now he was already going back.

What other choice was there really? The Burrow was gone. Grimmauld Place wasn't any good now since Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had moved in. Not that Harry minded, they needed a place to stay and he wasn't about to ask them to leave. Hogwarts was out. Though they could use the tent stored in Hermione's bag but Harry really wasn't keen to do that unless they really had to. He hoped that it wouldn't come to that. Not with autumn approaching quickly and winter right behind it.

The Horcrux and the idea of being so close to destroying another one excited Harry. He was one step closer to ending something that he had been a part of his entire life. It took only a moment for his mind to drift to a topic that he didn't often let himself think about. What would he do when it really was over?

Harry thought about that for a minute. He still wanted to be an Auror. It also stood to reason that there might be Death Eaters that would need to be apprehended after Voldemort was gone too.

But what about after that? His mind turned back to Ginny. It wasn't lost on Harry that she'd gone to a lot of effort not just to join them but to make sure that she stayed with them. They both really liked and cared for each other. Harry fell asleep thinking about those possibilities...

The next morning Harry woke up a little early. His stomach felt a little tight and his nerves seemed to be a little more on edge. It wasn't unlike the way he'd felt right before a Quidditch game. They were leaving tomorrow.

Quickly Harry dressed and went down to breakfast. Dobby looked at Harry as he entered the kitchen and greeted him warmly, "Harry Potter, sir. Good Morning! What would Harry Potter like for his breakfast?"

Looking at the pocket watch Mrs. Weasley had given him for his seventeenth birthday, Harry saw the time. It was just coming on five o'clock. He'd only slept for about four hours.

"It's alright, Dobby," Harry smiled at the diminutive elf, "I'll wait to eat until everyone else is up."

"Does Harry Potter want some tea? Or Pumpkin Juice?"

"Pumpkin Juice would be fine," Harry acquiesced.

Moments later Harry was sitting at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place with a glass of cold pumpkin juice in his hand. He was sipping it absentmindedly as his mind turned towards the things that he'd hoped to accomplish that day.

They couldn't let Mr. and Mrs. Weasley know what their plans were. If anyone else showed up, like Remus or Bill and Fleur or the twins, they would have to be kept in the dark too. Harry hated leaving everyone behind like this again, but there really wasn't any way around it. Mrs. Weasley's questioning of him after he'd escaped from Hogwarts proved that.

This time when they left they would be sure to be a little better prepared. Which would include making sure that they had some food with them. They would also take what they could of the medicines, clothing, and he was sure that Hermione would want to add some of their recently acquired books to their supplies as well.

At some point today he'd make sure that he had his own things ready. The Marauder's Map would go with him. The fragment of mirror, the Snitch from Dumbledore, the half letter from his mother to Sirius and the accompanying picture, his wand of course, Harry wished suddenly he still had Hedwig and his Firebolt. He was sure that they both might come in very useful, and he really missed his friend.

She had been with him during those long summers when Harry had been cooped up at his Aunt and Uncles. She'd dutifully taken letters and packages back and forth between Harry and his friends while he'd suffered whatever indignities and abuses that had been heaped upon him by the ones he lived with.

Truthfully, Harry had mixed feelings about going back to Number Four, Privet Drive. When he'd left there just a few weeks ago, he had honestly thought that it would be for the last time and he'd been glad of it. That house held very few memories that were pleasant and many, many more that were not.

His mind turned momentarily to his cousin, Aunt, and Uncle. Harry wondered idly how they were doing. Were they getting used to being in the wizarding world after hating it for so long?

The sound of footsteps on the stairs alerted him that he and Dobby were no longer the only ones in the house who were awake. Moments later Hermione came walking into the kitchen. She stopped for a moment when she saw Harry sitting alone at the table.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Hermione asked casually.

"Not very well," Harry admitted reluctantly.

"Me either. Ginny..." Hermione caught herself and stopped with a little shake of her head.

Harry's ears had caught enough however. His head perked up and he looked at Hermione, curiosity burning in his eyes, "Ginny what?"

Looking back at Harry, Hermione tried to stifle a sad smile, "She's...a little excited,"

"What? Why? Doesn't she realize what we're doing will mean?" Harry exclaimed.

"I don't think that's it," Hermione qualified.

"What is it then?"

"She's excited to finally get to see your house. Where you grew up,"

"What?" Harry was taken aback. Clearly this was the last thing that he had expected to hear.

"Don't you get it?" Hermione sat down at the table and smiled at Dobby sweetly as he brought her a glass of pumpkin juice, "Ron, Fred, George, Mr. Weasley, even me, we've all been to your house. She was feeling a little left out,"

"What is there to feel left out about? It's nothing special. Its just a house..."

"Where you grew up. That's where baby Harry was taken by Professor Dumbledore when...well you know. That's where you lived when she first met you and all that too. She's heard about the house enough I'm sure from you, Ron, Fred, George, and I'm sure from others as well. She's curious to see where you were raised." Hermione explained.

Harry thought about this for a minute, "There's nothing much to see,"

Hermione only smiled a little at Harry's statement before she shook her head briefly and moved on to her next thought; "I wanted to talk to you about something else,"

Harry just looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to go on. She sipped at her pumpkin juice before taking doing so.

"The most powerful of the defenses on your old house disappeared when you turned seventeen,"

"I know that. Dumbledore said so himself to my Aunt and Uncle the night when he came to fetch me," He remembered this well.

Harry would never forget that night for many reasons. To his knowledge it was also the first time Dumbledore had set foot near that house since the day Harry had been left there years before.

"But that doesn't mean that it doesn't still have some defenses that are on it," Hermione continued.

"Like what, Hermione?"

"I'm sure that Dumbledore, Mad-Eye, Kingsley, and everyone else in the order would have thrown everything they could at your house just to keep them away...but to answer your question; I think maybe a muggle repelling charm for one. They could have made it unplottable too, given that no Death Eater attacks occurred anywhere near your house..."

"You're forgetting the Dementors that attacked me just before fifth year," Harry interrupted her bluntly.

"No, I'm not. The Dementors were only in the vicinity of your house. They didn't actually come anywhere near it. And it wasn't until you actually used magic that anything happened. Even then you weren't at home,"

"But I was in second year when Dobby tried to keep me from going back to Hogwarts. The Ministry found me easily enough then. They sent me that warning letter..." Harry argued again.

"True, but that doesn't mean that your house wasn't made unplottable. It only means that if it was made unplottable it happened after fifth year. Anyway, that's not my point,"

Harry looked at Hermione and smiled half in affection, half in frustration; "What is your point then?"

"My point is, we need to find some way to increase the protection we have while we're there. Here we have the Fidelius Charm that protects us but once we leave that protection is gone. I think we need to see about setting up the Fidelius Charm at your house on Privet Drive. With only us four and the elves as Secret Keepers,"

There was no argument against that suggestion. The fact that there were Death Eaters who remained camped outside, but who had not yet come storming into the house looking for him was proof enough of that.

"How do we do it? I know Dumbledore asked my parents to use that charm to protect their house when word got out that Voldemort wanted them,"

"I'm not sure, Harry. What I would really like to do is to speak to Professor Lupin, but I'm not sure how I could do that without him tumbling to what we're doing,"

"Is he going to be around?" Harry asked hopefully. He really wanted to see Remus again before they left.

"I don't know," Hermione shrugged, "It would be nice to speak to him though,"

"Speak to whom about what?" Mr. Weasley said opening the kitchen door now.

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other and Harry shrugged, "Professor Lupin,"

Mr. Weasley smiled and nodded an acknowledgement to Dobby who had just set a hot cup of coffee in front of him.

"Remus should be back in a day or two," The man said as he absently stirred his coffee, "The two of you are up early today, what gives?"

"Couldn't sleep," Harry and Hermione said almost as one.

"I understand that, I had difficulties sleeping myself," Mr. Weasley said sadly.

Instantly Harry thought he knew what Ron's dad was referring to. The deaths of two of his sons would have weighed heavily on him. It had to be. But there was little he could do against it. Unlike me, Harry thought.

"So what were you guys wanting to see Remus for anyway?" Mr. Weasley asked as he leaned back in the kitchen chair to relax for a moment.

Thinking fast, Harry had an idea. One that he hoped would work. There couldn't be any harm in trying it anyway; "Well, we were wondering..."

Harry waved his arms at Hermione when her eyebrows shot up and saw her bite her tongue.

"Yes? Wondering what?"

"Well, we all stay here because we're under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, right?"

"Yes, that's true. Only those who are in possession of the secret can gain entry. That's why no Death Eaters have come storming in. Though it doesn't explain why they keep lurking around outside..." Mr. Weasley shook his head.

"And Dumbledore told me once that he encouraged my parents to use the charm to protect them when Voldemort was looking for them," Harry went on.

Mr. Weasley winced at hearing the name, but otherwise kept his eyes on Harry's face and let him finish speaking.

"What is the Fidelius Charm? How does it work? It seems really powerful, is it difficult to perform?" Harry said all of this in a rush.

Mr. Weasley smiled at Harry upon hearing the question. He didn't look suspicious at all. Maybe this might work, Harry thought happily.

"And as your old Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, you thought you'd ask Remus, is that it?" There was a kind, fatherly quality in Mr. Weasley's smile.

"Yes, we thought he'd know," Hermione added before finishing her pumpkin juice.

Mr. Weasley smiled at her as his hand rubbed absently against the old wooden table. He peered down his long nose at the two young adults in front of him and began answering their questions.

"The Fidelius Charm is a charm that is particularly useful when you want to hide something especially something you want to keep secret that might otherwise be rather easy to find out. It's a fairly difficult charm to perform and the success of it depends mainly on the number of people who are aware of the secret. Essentially the Fidelius Charm hides a secret in the soul of a secret keeper. Only the one with the secret can reveal it, which is why it was Dumbledore who told you the location of this place. He either told you directly, like Molly and I, or he wrote it down in his own hand to be read by another, rather like what he did for you, Harry."

Mr. Weasley was warming to his subject now and seemed to be enjoying himself. As he spoke Harry and Hermione exchanged a knowing glance. This was perfect and it answered their questions. Mr. Weasley went on;

"For example, the charm that is protecting us here is weakened each time the knowledge of this place passes from one person to the next. The reason for that is simple; all it takes is for the wrong person to make mention of the secret and the secret is gone. There are several people who know about the secret that guards us here.."

"Like Snape," Harry interjected angrily.

Mr. Weasley nodded his head in acknowledgment of Harry's statement; "Yes it's true. He does know the secret of this house. For whatever reason, Professor Snape has seen fit to not divulge the secret he carries of the existence of this place to the Death Eaters. If he had, we wouldn't be here. Whether this is deliberate or not is something else. He may not even realize that it's somewhere we would go. Or he may not think it important enough to bring to the attention of You-Know-Who.

For all that it's difficult to perform, it's also neigh impossible to break except by having someone reveal the secret. No curse, charm, hex, spell, or other form of magic can break the charm and for _that_ I am _very_ thankful,"

When Mr. Weasley stopped talking to take a long sip from his cup, Harry turned to smile smugly at Hermione. She returned the smile and then stood up.

"Well, I think I'm going to go freshen up. Everyone will be awake soon," Hermione said.

As she left, Harry saw her deftly grab a couple things from off the trunk on her way out the door. Since Mr. Weasley's back was to her, he had no clue. He just kept sipping at his cup of coffee.

"So, Harry, do you three have anything interesting planned for today?" He asked.

It was later that same day when Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were gathered together in the attic. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were taking a nap, snoozing contentedly in the sitting room. This is what prompted the afternoon meeting upstairs so far from where they were napping.

The four of them had been doing everything they could to keep Mr. and Mrs. Weasley from finding out their plans. Hermione had spent most of the day with her nose in various books, trying to learn what she could about the Fidelius Charm. When Ron and Ginny were advised of their plans to put the charm on Harry's house, they quickly agreed.

"It's worked for this place, hasn't it?" Ron asked as he looked around.

"It has. We'll have to make sure that no one knows about it but us..." Harry acknowledged.

"What about the elves?" Ginny asked.

"Them too," Hermione added, "They'll have to be brought in on the secret too."

"That's something I don't get, come to think of it," Ron mentioned off hand.

"Only one thing?" Ginny quipped.

Looking daggers at his sister, Ron voiced his concern; "What about Kreacher? Did someone show him the secret? Or was he told and then ordered to keep it?"

"Rather the latter I would think," Hermione answered.

"That means that you'll have to order him to keep your house a secret too," Ron said to Harry glancing fearfully at Hermione.

While she didn't appear to like Ron's statement, Harry was surprised to hear her agree with it, "I think Ron's right. That's the only way to be sure that he won't divulge it to someone he shouldn't,"

"Like Miss Bella or Miss Cissy," Ginny grumbled.

"Or Draco or anyone else that might ask him," Hermione added.

"What about Dobby? He can't say anything to Mum or Dad, they'll go mental!" Ginny looked expectantly at Harry.

"I'll talk to him," he replied with a sigh, "I think he'll be alright with it,"

"That's assuming I can do the spell right," Hermione said doubtfully.

Ron looked at her and said off hand, "You're brilliant. Everyone knows that you're the best in our year. You'll do it right,"

Hermione's cheeks flushed and her eyes turned glassy as she turned her gaze on Ron. Harry turned to Ginny and they shared a smile between them. It was clear that Ron was trying a little harder to get Hermione to notice him. It was nice to see that his efforts were paying off a little.

"That's really nice, Ron. Thank you!" Hermione kissed him quickly on the cheek and they both turned scarlet.

Harry thought it best to intervene now. They would hopefully have more time for this kind of thing later; "So are we ready then?"

It took her a moment to realize Harry had said something to her. Hermione took an extra second to turn back to Harry and remember what it was that he had said.

"Err..well yes. Very nearly anyway. I have all our clothes and most of the other supplies. Harry, your Invisibility Cloak is already packed as well. I want to try to get some more books and some of the potions and other stuff that was sent to us in those boxes that Remus and Bill sent before everything else happened,"

"Why?" Ron asked looking puzzled, "We're going to be staying at Harry's old house, aren't we?"

"Yes Ron, but what if the Fidelius Charm isn't done right? What if something else happens?"

"We won't be coming back here," Harry said blatantly.

Ginny and Ron just looked at him. Hermione just nodded, "We can't. It would be way too dangerous. Harry's right,"

"So, when do we leave?" Ginny asked looking from Harry to Hermione to Harry again.

"Tomorrow morning. We'll leave early. Before anyone else is up," Harry answered.

"You should probably write notes for your parents," Hermione said quietly.

Ginny's face clouded over as she nodded her agreement.

"You don't have to do..." Harry began but Ginny's glare cut him short.

"Yes Harry, I do. We're not going over this again!"

That was enough to cut short Harry's argument. Ginny looked at him for a long minute before turning to leave the attic.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked her as she walked away.

"Downstairs Ron. I have a letter to write,"

"Not your brightest move, mate," Ron told him when the attic door was shut.

Harry chose not to say anything but he agreed with Ron. It wouldn't be good to start this out with Ginny mad at him. They would probably have enough problems on their hands without adding that.

A few short hours after their meeting had broken up, Hermione had caught Harry on his way to use the loo and told him that she was ready.

"Completely?" Harry asked mildly surprised.

"Completely," Hermione confirmed with a grin, "Dobby said he'll bring us some food once we get set up at your Aunt and Uncle's. That saves me loads to do,"

Smiling his thanks at her, Harry turned to leave when she asked another question; "Have you written your letters?"

That stopped him in his tracks, "My letters?"

"Don't you think you should at least say something to them?" Hermione leveled a piercing gaze at Harry.

"Like what, Hermione? I'm sorry to keep leaving on you and taking your kids with me. I'll try not to let them get killed but it will probably happen anyway?"

"You don't have to be snide," She sniffed, tears welling in her eyes.

Great, thought Harry, this was all he needed. He wasn't doing well with either of the girls today. "Er...Um...I'm sorry," He faltered.

Hermione just rolled her eyes and looked at him.

"I'll write the letters. Two of them. I'll write to Remus too," Harry said sidling towards his destination. He really did need the facilities.

"What we're going to do won't be easy on them. It's only fitting that we do something to help make it right,"

Nodding his head, Harry sighed; "I know,"

This seemed to be enough to pacify Hermione. She turned and left the hallway without saying another word.

It was no small matter writing the letters Harry promised Hermione that he would write. How do you tell the parents of your best mate and girlfriend that you're sorry for dragging them along, again, on some fool-hardy crusade that may not work in an effort to destroy the darkest wizard to have lived in centuries?

It was no small feat to put quill to parchment and to put his thoughts and feelings down. Something that surprised Harry was that this writing was in many ways more difficult than when he'd attempted to do the same thing just a couple short days ago.

In the end he kept it short and brief. He told them how much he loved them and how much he appreciated all of their efforts on his behalf. He expressed his desire for things to end quickly and promised to do everything he possibly could to keep Ron, Ginny, and Hermione safe. He sealed the letter in wax and then moved on to his letter to Remus.

To Remus he said much the same thing. Harry thanked him for the memories of his parents, Sirius, and for all of his guidance. He further told him, briefly, that they were going to carry on with the task that they had been given. This letter was shorter than the other Harry had written. It wasn't that Harry didn't care, he did. He just wasn't sure how to express all of the things that he wanted to say. Even more, he didn't want to leave anything unsaid if something bad should happen to either of them.

The next morning, early, everyone was up and dressed. They all donned their cloaks and made sure they had their wands. Hermione was carrying her small beaded bag with the Undetectable Extension Charm on it. Harry noticed that all three of them looked as nervous as he felt.

Dobby entered the cloak room and Harry told him quietly, "Right, Dobby, are you going to be able to help us?"

"Dobby will help Harry Potter and his friends," The elf replied solemnly, his eyes wide and shining with hero worship for Harry.

"You're a free elf, Dobby. I can't give you an order. But will you do me a favor as if I had given you one?"

Dobby's eyes widened and he gave a sweeping low bow. His ears quivering as his nose just brushed the floor, "Dobby would be happy to take an order from Harry Potter,"

"Er..thanks, Dobby. It's really very simple. Where we'll be, back at my Aunt and Uncle's house, you can't tell anyone we're there. Not even if someone, anyone, I don't care who it is, asks you directly. It could mean our lives if you do," Harry placed his hand gently on the house elf's shoulder.

"Dobby is happy to keep his friend's secrets. Dobby is happy to call Harry Potter his friend," He looked proud to be trusted with something so important.

"Thanks Dobby, you're a good friend," Hermione told him sweetly.

"She's right, Dobby. Harry's lucky he has you," Ron added.

Ginny's jaw dropped open as she looked at her brother in surprise.

"What?" Ron asked defensively.

There was no answer from Ginny who ignored her brother now and turned to Harry, "So how is this going to work?"

"I've been thinking about that," Harry said quickly, "We'll disillusion ourselves and step outside. That way the Death Eaters out there won't realize that we're coming out. We'll go on down the street a ways and then we'll have to Apparate,"

"Apparate?" Ron asked, "To your house? Wouldn't the Ministry or the Order have put up anti apparation charms?"

"We aren't Apparating directly to my Aunt and Uncle's house. We'll Apparate to the park nearby. That way if there's any Death Eaters there that are watching that place we'll know about it,"

"That's a great plan, Harry. But what if the Death Eaters are disillusioned too?" Ron reasoned.

"Homonim Revelio will answer that quickly enough," Hermione said confidently.

"Are you more confident about doing the Fidelius Charm?" Ginny asked her looking worried.

"It will either work or it won't. If it doesn't though, we'll have to get out of there very fast,"

"It will work, Hermione. You worry too much," Harry told her.

They quickly disillusioned each other and then opened the door. With a last look over his shoulder, Harry saw Dobby watching them with tears in his eyes. Even though he knew the elf couldn't see him, Harry smiled. He truly hoped that he would see his little friend again.

Once they were outside, Harry reached out and felt until he found someone.

"Who is that?" Ginny whispered.

"Its me," Harry answered softly, "Take my hand. We'll all have to hold hands until we get to the park at least,"

He quickly felt her hand find his and then enjoyed her firm grip. There was a second's wait until he heard Ron ask in a harsh whisper, "Well, are we leaving or not?"

Harry grinned at Ron's comment and they carefully made their way down the steps and then silently the walked several blocks up the busy street. When they came to a deserted alleyway, Harry turned down it and took several paces.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" He asked.

"Are we apparating now?" Ginny wondered.

"Yes, it will be over soon so don't worry," Harry affirmed.

Turning on the spot Harry felt the effects of Apparating. The feeling of being squeezed through a tube was something you never truly got used to, he thought.

When they arrived at the park in Little Whinging, Harry had his wand in his left hand as he looked around. The park was empty except for a group of birds that had been in a tree and were now flying away in panic at the sudden popping sound that accompanied their arrival.

"Is everyone alright?" Harry asked nervously while catching his breath.

"Fine," Ginny said quickly. She too sounded like she was catching her breath.

"I've been better, but I'll be fine in a moment," Ron quipped.

"Me too," Hermione added, "I really don't like Apparating while being disillusioned,"

"At least no one got splinched!" Harry heard Ron say.

He couldn't agree more. That would have been a very bad way to start things off. The sun was just coming up over the horizon now. With the dark clouds to the west, it made the houses and trees glow brightly. Harry took this as a good sign.

"Alright then, this way," He said and then he started leading the group towards his Aunt and Uncle's house on Privet Drive.

Even that early in the morning they had to walk carefully. There were some people out and about already doing things like putting out the cat, picking up milk crates, or collecting the morning paper.

The group was quiet as they walked along but Harry got the sense from Ginny that her eyes were taking everything in. When they turned the corner on to Privet Drive, they got the first hint of trouble.

Two voices could be heard talking quietly. That wouldn't have been an issue but where they were talking from didn't look to have anyone standing there. Thinking quickly, Harry pulled his wand and with his left hand pointed it at the source of the noise.

"Homonim Revelio!" He whispered.

A faint glow surrounded three human figures that looked like they were wearing robes.

"Confundus," Harry whispered then followed that immediately with, "Obliviate!"

Finished with the step of dealing with the Death Eaters, Harry turned in the direction he knew Hermione to be and said, "Go ahead Hermione, but we don't have long,"

There were several tense moments of near silence. Harry could hear Hermione whispering rapidly under her breath. He was beginning to get nervous when suddenly Hermione whispered loudly, "Our new location is Number Four, Privet Drive,"

He heard her moving and then felt Ginny's tug on his arm. A half second later, Hermione's voice said very quietly, "Come on,"

They walked together up to the front door and stopped. It took several minutes while Hermione remembered which spells and jinxes were still on the house and then even longer to disarm them so that they could get inside.

Once the door was shut behind them, Hermione said in her regular voice, "That should do it,"

Everyone heaved a great sigh of relief as they removed the charm that disillusioned them and stood in the entry way of Harry's house. Hermione took a few more minutes to reinstate the charms that had been taken down and then smiled, "Well Harry, we're here,"

For Harry it was a little awkward. This wasn't the first time that Ron or Hermione had been here, but it would be the first time that anyone spent any real time in this house. He remembered as a child when he wanted friends and to be able to have them come over and stay with him. It struck him as ironic that he was finally, in a very off hand way, getting that wish.

"We need to make sure we're safe," Ginny said glancing at Harry who had thus far been quiet since confunding and obiviating the Death Eaters outside.

"Which reminds me," Hermione said looking back outside towards where she knew the Death Eaters to be, "We don't have long. Harry, may I use your Invisibility Cloak for a minute or two?"

Harry nodded and watched as Hermione threw the cloak over herself and then disappeared outside for a few minutes. Ron and Ginny watched with him looking where they knew the Death Eaters to be though they were still disillusioned.

They were still watching when the door closed, seemingly by itself and Hermione pulled the Invisibility Cloak off with a self satisfied smile. "I planted a memory that the three of them had fallen asleep after too many nights up late and not getting much rest,"

"Hermione, that was..." Harry began

"Bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

"Are we safe then?" Ginny asked looking around.

"Safe as we can be anyway," Hermione said with confidence.

Smiling at little at Hermione's comment, Harry couldn't help but feel a little trepidation now that everyone was here. Still, seeing as how this was to all intents and purposes his house, he figured he better show them around.

"Hermione, you can put your bag there for now. We can hang our cloaks here in this closet," Harry began.

Everyone started moving at Harry's invitation. They hung their cloaks and Hermione set her beaded bag on the table with a loud clunk. He then led them through the sitting room with the T.V. where Ron exclaimed;

"I remember this room! This is where we came to get you for the Quidditch Cup and Fred and George dropped one of their candies that your idiot cousin ate!" Ron chortled at the memory.

"Ron! That was a terrible thing for them to do!" Hermione chided him.

"Yeah but it was worth it. His tongue swelled up all huge and his parents started wigging out. My poor Dad had a devil of a time sorting it out,"

For Harry, this room carried many different memories. Most recently it was Dumbledore himself who had sat in the chair by the fireplace. It was from the couch that the drinks of Madam Rosemerta's finest Mead had been provided for everyone and which Harry's family had steadfastly ignored.

He led them through the sitting room past the closet under the stairs and was part way to the kitchen when Ginny asked almost reverently;

"Harry, is that it?"

"Is what it?" He replied turning around.

His face fell slightly when he saw where Ginny was looking. Her eyes were wide and the expression on her face was frankly curious.

"Yes, that's the cupboard where I stayed until I received my Hogwarts letter," Harry walked forward and opened the door.

Inside the little closet under the stairs were a lot of dust, cobwebs, a couple dead spiders, and a few little tin soldiers. Harry reached in and picked one up. His coat was faded and his rifle was bent.

"I used to play with this when I was a lot younger..." He explained.

Shutting the door to the cupboard door and avoiding everyone's eyes, he turned and led them through to the kitchen. He showed them the fridge and the stove and oven.

"Dad would love this," Ron observed, "Staying in a house with all this muggle stuff?"

"He'd be in heaven and mum would go mad trying to reign him in," Ginny smiled.

"This is the room we were in when we came to get you this summer, isn't it Harry?" Ron asked.

"Yes, it looks a little different in the daytime," Harry said as the light from the rising sun shone brightly on the spotless counters.

Sharing a look with Hermione, who seemed to be watching Harry carefully, they moved on with the tour. "Upstairs is the loo and the bedrooms,"

Together they all climbed the stairs. At the top Harry paused for a moment. He hadn't been back up these stairs since he left. The last time he'd held Hedwig was in his room just down the...

"Harry?" Ginny asked, "What's that room with all of the locks on the door and the cat-flap at the bottom?"

"That's where I slept. That was my room," Harry said leading the way down the hall.

"Why all the locks and the cat-flap then? Were they trying to keep you prisoner?"

"Sometimes I was locked in there. The cat-flap was how food was passed to me. The door was unlocked twice a day so I could go to the bathroom or occasionally shower," Harry explained casually. He still refused to meet their eyes.

When Harry moved down the hall to show them the bathroom he noticed that no one was following him. Turning around he stopped and looked at the stunned faces of his friends.

"So it was true?" Hermione was shocked, "I always thought you exaggerated things a bit when you were talking about your Aunt and Uncle,"

"No, it's true. All of it. They would lock me up here sometimes if I did something wrong or if I used magic, or threatened to use magic on them. That's why Ron, Fred and George had to come rescue me for second year. Dobby did magic and my Uncle got really mad because he thought it was me.

You should have seen my Uncle when my Hogwarts letter arrived," Harry remembered now with a smile, "The first one that came was what got me moved out of my cupboard under the stairs and up here. This used to be my cousin Dudley's second bedroom. He didn't like it much when it was given to me, but my Aunt and Uncle were more worried about how whoever the person was who was sending the letters knew that I stayed in that cupboard. It was the first time I really ever saw them put their foot down with my cousin,"

"Harry, that's horrible," Hermione said in a tiny voice, "we never knew,"

"It's not like I really told anyone now, is it?" Harry muttered with a humorless smile.

When no one said anything, Harry continued, "It's all in the past now anyway. Besides, I'm not sure how long we'll be able to stay here. Once we've destroyed the locket, we'll still have the rest of them to find."

"Harry," Hermione persisted, "To be treated like this..."

"Like what, Hermione? Like someone who wasn't wanted? They made sure I knew I wasn't wanted from the time I was left on their doorstep," Harry was frustrated and exasperated; this was a sore subject for him right now.

"If only you would have told someone. Professor Dumbledore maybe..."

"Hermione," Harry explained now looking at her directly, "He knew. I know for a fact he knew at least part of what was going on here. He..."

"He what?" Ginny prompted her eyes wide with concern at what she was hearing.

"He...mentioned a few things last summer. When he came to pick me up. He told them off a bit for the way they treated me and how they could have made a choice to do things differently," Harry answered quietly. He sighed heavily and went on, "It wasn't just that though. There's also Mrs. Figg..."

"Who?" Ron asked as he leaned up against the wall.

"Mrs. Figg. She's a squib who lives just down the road a bit. Dumbledore stationed her there to kind of watch over things. She must have known how to contact him. She testified at my trial last year when Fudge wanted to have me tossed out of Azkaban for using magic in front of my cousin..."

No one moved or spoke for several moments. Feeling more and more uncomfortable with things, Harry decided that it was time to move on with the little tour. He started walking down the hall again. He stopped at his Aunt and Uncle's bedroom.

There was a large bed against the wall between two windows that overlooked the back yard. A night stand with a lamp stood on either side of the bed. Every thing was neatly made up and spotlessly clean. The way Harry's aunt would have wanted it.

"Ginny, you and Hermione can sleep in here if you like," Harry said quietly as he opened a door that was on the same wall as the entry to the room, "There's a bathroom here if you need it,"

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said as she traded looks with Ron and Ginny.

Harry noticed this and felt a momentary flare in his temper. He swallowed hard and pretended not to see it. What happened in this house wasn't their fault.

"Ron, you and I can share my cousin's room," Harry said faking a nonchalant tone.

"Don't you want to sleep in your...OW!" Ron said at Ginny's elbow which had suddenly made hard contact with his ribs.

Ignoring this, Harry turned and went back downstairs. He went into the kitchen where he'd cooked so many meals and checked the icebox and cupboards. The power was still on. Harry wasn't sure how or why since no one had lived here for over a month, but he was grateful for this.

Inside the fridge he found all the kinds of things you would expect to find in a muggle icebox that had been suddenly left untended for almost two months; sour milk in a carton, some cheese that was surprisingly still good. Eggs, bacon, ham, some other meats that Harry didn't like the looks of and things like mustard, pickles, and the like.

Upon checking the cupboards he found tins of meats, vegetables, fruits, and milk. There were boxes of cereal, two loaves of bread, and some cured meats like sausage, ham, and bacon as well as onions and potatoes in the dry goods cupboard along with several bottles of Dudley's favorite soda and Uncle Vernon's favorite beer.

He never heard whether or not the others had come down the stairs and privately Harry was grateful. He needed some time with his thoughts to sort things out a bit.

Moving with a speed born from years of practice, he started making breakfast. He got out the things to make it with as he vanished the sour milk and bad meats with a simple wave of his wand.

When Ron, Ginny, and Hermione finally did make their way downstairs, Ginny turned into the kitchen. Harry had bacon and sausage frying on the stove, eggs ready to go right behind them and toast in the toaster.

When he turned around to set some plates on the table, he was surprised to see Ginny watching him carefully.

"You alright?" She asked voice full of concern.

"Never better," Harry answered automatically.

She pulled a face at hearing this but let it slide for now. Harry was setting the pan on the stove now to start the eggs cooking. The toast popped out of the toaster and he grabbed the slices and buttered them quickly and proficiently before adding more bread to the toaster and returning to the eggs.

"Harry," Ginny began again.

She had moved closer to him. Her voice was quieter and all the more clearly he could hear the concern that colored it. He didn't stop moving, even to look at her.

"You know that none of us think any less of you, right? That you had to deal with all of...this?"

Turning the bacon and sausages now, Harry deftly cracked the eggs with one hand into a pan and spooned a little of the bacon grease into the pan to help flavor them.

"Harry?" Ginny asked again; standing right behind him now.

Turning around he looked at her. She was so beautiful, he thought. She was smart, pretty, and fast on her feet. She shouldn't be here with us, he further thought, she should be enjoying the last days of summer and preparing for school. She should be thinking about classes and getting ready for Hogsmeade weekends, Quidditch games, and late nights spent in the common room.

Yet here she was. Here, now, with him. She was willingly giving up everything that she should be looking forward to, to accompany him on this quest to find and destroy the Horcruxes. To end the nightmare brought on by the return of Voldemort. Harry's heart swelled thinking of this.

"I know," He said quietly.

He returned to his cooking and felt Ginny's arms slide around his waist and her head on his back; "It wasn't easy for you to come back here, was it?"

"Not really, no," Harry said flipping the eggs and removing the bacon and sausages from the pan now to drain.

"Then why do it? Why come here?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Because we needed someplace to stay that they won't think to look for us. Either Voldemort and his lot or anyone from the Order. Whether or not its easy to be here doesn't matter. What matters is that we can hide here. At least for awhile anyway,"

Harry finished getting the eggs out of the pan and onto a serving plate. Turning off the stove he turned around and returned Ginny's embrace.

"I'll be alright, Ginny," Harry reassured her with a confidence he didn't really feel.

"If you say so," she replied evenly as she kissed him on the cheek, "I'll go get Ron and Hermione for breakfast."

Over breakfast the mood lightened considerably. Hermione teasingly told of how she had had to show Ron all of the muggle contraptions that he'd found in Dudley's room. The radio, computer, T.V., remote control car, various assorted games, all held endless fascination for him.

Ron's ears and his long nose reddened as she told them all about how he reacted when the T.V. came on and a program started playing.

"You know Harry, those Muggles I tell you they really have some funny ideas about how to do things," Ron said around a mouthful of bacon.

Ginny pulled out her wand and tapped it gently on the tea cup next to her plate to reheat the contents. Everyone jumped as the light bulbs above the table popped.

"What was that?" Ron exclaimed wand in hand.

"Of course!" Hermione nearly shouted, "I forgot! How stupid of me!"

Everyone's eyes turned expectantly towards Hermione.

"Are you going to share?" Ron's eyes never left the chandelier above the table.

"It's the magic. That's why things like Muggle radios won't work at Hogwarts. The magic interferes with the electricity,"

"So when I reheated my tea..."

"You were using magic, Ginny. It disrupted the flow of electricity and the bulbs blew out,"

"Is it safe to be here?" Ron asked fearfully.

"It's fine, we just should be careful of how much magic we use while we're here,"

"Why didn't my magic affect anything when I was living here?" Harry was curious despite his mood.

"It's likely that even when you used magic, like when you blew up your Aunt that time, it wasn't enough to disrupt the power just by yourself. All of us here though are magical beings. I bet those bulbs were probably near the end of their lifespan anyway. Ginny's use of magic just now likely was just enough to finish them off,"

"So what does that mean?" Ron wanted to know.

"We should be fine to continue to use magic and the appliances here, at least for now. But if something is going to breakdown, I suspect our using magic will only make it happen faster. If there were more of us here for any length of time, we'd see much more of an interruption I expect."

"Interruption! That reminds me!" Harry said suddenly as he whipped out his wand and silently flipped it towards the window.

A bright silvery blue pulse of magical energy flew out of the kitchen, through the window and to wherever it was that Harry had sent it.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"Sending a message to your parents that we're alright," Harry explained as he returned to his breakfast.

"Thanks for the warning, mate," Ron was shaking his head.

Breakfast was finished not long after the Patronus was sent back to Grimmauld Place. Hermione and Ginny offered to do the dishes while Ron and Harry went upstairs to take the bed from Harry's old room and move it into Dudley's room. The two friends spent the time they were working talking about various things.

"Remember when we came in my Dad's car to get you?" Ron asked.

"Hmm," Harry said as he struggled to lift the mattress off of the bed.

Ron started chortling now, "I remember watching your Uncle trying to come after you. He didn't want you to leave,"

"And if he'd have succeeded..."

"Professor Dumbledore would probably have just sent Hagrid for you again," Ron shrugged.

"But that would have been after my Uncle got his hands on me,"

Not knowing what to say to this, Ron was silent as he and Harry were finally able to get the mattress moved out of the way. Together they lifted the frame of the bed and managed to start moving it towards the door of the room.

Ron's foot caught on something on the floor. It was a loose floor board. Stooping down, he picked up the board to find a small sheaf of old parchment stacked underneath. There were stale old crumbs from where Harry had stashed food when his Aunt and Uncle were trying to help Dudley with his diet, and what looked like a broken quill.

Lifting out the old pieces of parchment, Ron flipped through them absently. His eyes caught on one parchment from a person whose handwriting he recognized; "You kept this?"

Turning now to see what Ron was talking about, Harry's eyes narrowed for a moment while he studied the parchment Ron held.

Smiling mischievously now, Ron read aloud, _"His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a blackboard. I wish he was mine, he's really divine, The hero who conquered the Dark Lord,"_

Harry felt his cheeks coloring as Ron read the parchment. He remembered well the events that had led up to him receiving that and he'd thought he'd gotten rid of those things when he was cleaning through his room.

"Ginny's going to love this!" Ron exclaimed with a glint in his eye.

"You wouldn't!" Harry said,

"Ginny!" Ron shouted.

Harry wanted to slug Ron. He couldn't believe this.

"What?" Ginny called from downstairs.

"Come up here! You've got to see this!" Ron yelled while grinning wickedly at Harry.

"Ron, I'm going to kill you!" Harry grumbled. He was trapped in the room behind the bed frame.

The noise of two sets of feet climbing the stairs sounded loudly. Ginny came into the room slightly out of breath from her fast climb up the stairs, Hermione was right behind her.

Harry put his face in the palm of his hand, powerless to stop what was happening in front of him.

He didn't see the looks on Ginny or Hermione's faces as they squeezed into the room.

"What is it?" She asked.

"See what I found? Harry saved it!"

Harry wanted to melt into the floor all over again.

He heard Ginny reading the poem under her breath and heard her gasp.

"You saved this?" Her voice was tender and disbelieving.

Deliberately not looking at anyone now, Harry only nodded his head. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he'd thought he'd thrown it out.

"That's really sweet, Harry," Hermione said obviously touched.

He just shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess that poem meant more to him than he let on," Ron was obviously delighted with himself. Harry wanted to smack him.

He would decide later he was glad he didn't. In what could only be described as an emotional moment, Ginny very deliberately moved over in front of Harry lifted his face gently between her hands and kissed him with deep feeling. It only took a second for Harry to respond.

His arms unfolded from his chest. One hand found it's way up into her hair while the other went around her back and pulled her close. The fact that there were other people in the room was lost on them in that moment.

"Hey you two, I've just eaten!" Ron grumbled now.

"Ronald, sometimes you can be so thick," Hermione sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you stop to think for just a moment that this was the first thing that Ginny ever gave Harry? Don't you think that it means the world to her to find out he still had that poem even now after everything that's happened? Come on,"

It ended up being Ron and Hermione who moved Harry's bed into Dudley's room along with his mattress, blankets, and other things. Harry and Ginny were oblivious to everything but each other for a while.

It was early afternoon when they all gathered together in the living room. Ron and Hermione were sitting together on the couch while Harry and Ginny sat squeezed together in a big poofy easy chair.

They had been discussing exactly how they wanted to take the next step now that they were settled into their new hiding place.

"I think we should call on Dobby first," Ron said, "Let him know what we need or could use and let him start working on getting things together,"

"That's not a bad idea and we could get some fresh stuff in here; Milk, eggs, and I'd love to have some butterbeer," Ginny added.

Hermione wore a frustrated, martyred expression and had her face turned towards the window.

"We need to call Kreacher too," Harry said thoughtfully, "The sooner we can destroy that locket, the better I'll feel."

"So, start with Kreacher then. It doesn't really matter which order you call them in, does it?" Ron asked.

Harry smiled and then called out; "Kreacher! I need you!"

Not even a second later, there was a kind of muffled 'crack' sound and the grizzled old house elf appeared.

He looked much more personable since last they saw him. He gave Harry and Ginny as low, sweeping bow and croaked out; "Master? You have need of Kreacher?"

His voice sounded different too. Like he was happier to be called to service for Harry.

"Er..Um...Hi Kreacher. Thank you for coming," Harry fumbled.

Hermione was watching them now and she smiled at Harry's ongoing attempts to be nice to the old house elf.

"Master called upon Kreacher and Kreacher has come. Does Master need Kreacher to perform the task previously discussed?"

To hear such a willing and polite tone coming from him was unnerving. Harry kept glancing at Hermione who was nodding vigorously now.

"Yes please, Kreacher. I need you to find Mundungus Fletcher and bring him here. This is an order, and I would appreciate it if you could do it as quickly as you can," Harry managed to say.

Ron's eyes widened as Harry spoke and Hermione was grinning. Ginny just sat quietly next to Harry as he gave the orders to his elf that would start them on this task.

"Better talk to him about visiting anyone too," Ron advised wisely.

"Um..right. Kreacher, I'm sorry to have to order you to do this, but from today on I am ordering you not to have any contact with anyone from the Malfoy, Lestrange, or Black families, except for myself. Oh, and the Weasley's."

"Us?" Ginny said quizzically.

"Sirius once told me that he and your Mom are related distantly. I wanted to cover that," Harry turned towards her for a moment.

"Oh, that makes sense,"

"Anyway Kreacher, I need to make this clear. You are not to talk to them, take messages to or from them, or contact them directly or indirectly. If they see you and ask to speak to you or otherwise try to contact you, you are to refuse that request and deny them in their attempts. Is this clear?"

"Master is wise and has thought of everything," Kreacher answered, "Kreacher will serve his master and his friends. He will not betray his master or his master's secrets." He sounded slightly crestfallen.

Thinking on his feet, Harry added, "I'll keep my promise to you, Kreacher. Find me Mundungus Fletcher and bring him here. Help me find that locket and I'll make sure you get to keep the other one. I'll help you follow Regulus' orders to destroy the locket,"

This had the effect of causing the house elf to perk up visibly. Sweeping another bow to Harry and Ginny, then turning to bow towards Ron and even roughly jerking his head towards Hermione, the elf disapparated with a nearly silent pop.

"That went well, didn't it?" Harry asked.

"You were brilliant, Harry!" Hermione enthused as she got up and kissed him on the cheek.


	15. Disturbing Visions

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 15**

After Kreacher had left, Dobby was called. It was only seconds from the time that Harry had called the house elf's name before he was standing in front of them. When he appeared the group was standing in the kitchen waiting for him.

"Harry Potter needs Dobby?"

Harry nodded and smiled, "Thanks for coming, Dobby,"

"How can Dobby be of service?"

"Dobby," Hermione interjected now, "Do you remember when we talked about how you would help us and bring us food and things like that?"

Nodding his head, she went on; "Well, that's what we need. Food. There's some stuff already here. Mostly what we need are things like milk, eggs, fruit, and stuff like that. If you can get any medicines that would be helpful too but it's not as urgent right now,"

"Dobby can get the food that Harry Potter and his friends need. Dobby will shop for these things when he shops for the house at Grimmauld Place,"

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry smiled.

"Dobby, how are..." Ginny swallowed hard, "How are my Mom and Dad?"

Immediately Dobby's face fell. He looked distinctly troubled as he looked sadly at first Ginny, then Ron, then at Harry and Hermione.

"They are most aggrieved about Harry Potter and his friends leaving the safety of their home. Mr. Weezy was giving comfort to Mrs. Weezy. He was giving her hugs and letter her cry on his shoulder..."

"Will you tell them..." Ron started looking very troubled by what he was hearing.

"He can't, Ron." Harry said gently.

Looking up at Harry angrily Ron asked; "Why can't he tell them anything?"

"Because then Mom and Dad will start asking questions. Questions that Dobby can't answer," Ginny replied evenly.

Looking over at her he saw Ginny looking back at him. She didn't look happy, but shrugged her shoulders. It looked to Harry as though she'd thought of this a long time ago. He smiled sadly at her and then turned back to Ron.

"I'm sorry, mate. Really I am. The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt them again. Especially after everything else they've been through,"

Ron shook his head; "Bloody Hell I can't wait for all of this to be over,"

"You knew what we were getting into!" Harry argued.

"Yes, I did. But that doesn't mean I have to like it," Ron left the room and went upstairs.

Harry flopped down heavily into the easy chair with a deep sigh, "I'm sorry,"

"We knew what we were getting into, Harry. We made the choice and its not like you didn't warn us," Hermione said softly.

She reached out and put a warm hand on his arm, "Just like you don't particularly like staying here with everything this house reminds you of, there's going to be parts of this excursion that the rest of us won't like. Ron just became uncomfortably aware of his,"

He looked up into her eyes and saw Ginny standing behind her looking on earnestly. Hermione's face was as kind as it was serious. He then noticed Dobby standing uncomfortably nearby, looking vastly troubled.

"Thanks, Dobby. You can go ahead and go now. Thank you for your help," Harry told him.

The elf only nodded and disapparated away.

There was some surprise when Kreacher didn't return within a few hours. When Harry voiced his concerns, it was Ron who addressed them; "It's not like Dung is going to make himself easy to find now, is it? An old con like him? You can bet he's laying low and checking his options,"

"Especially after you accosted him last year," Hermione added dryly.

"Wait, what's this? What did you do, Harry?" Ginny wanted to know.

It took a few minutes and Ron and Hermione's help to do it properly for Harry to explain to Ginny about how he'd caught Mundungus selling some of the more valuable items from Sirius' house. He then went on to describe the confrontation he'd had with the conniving, crafty, wizard.

Ginny looked outraged by the time Harry was done explaining things but it was Ron who seemed the least flustered by it;

"Come on now, a hippogriff isn't going to change its feathers now is it? And Dung's not going to change who he is. He saw an opportunity and he took advantage of it,"

"That doesn't mean it's not wrong," Ginny argued.

"It is wrong, but just because its wrong doesn't mean its going to stop ol' Dung," Ron shrugged unfazed by his sister's outrage.

Ginny looked like she had more to say on the topic but didn't get a chance. Hermione decided it was a good time for a change of subject; "So, since we don't know how long Kreacher is going to be, why don't we do something?"

"Like what, Hermione?" Ginny asked grumpily.

"Well, why don't we work on learning new spells? We haven't learned much by way of healing magic yet. Why don't we start there?"

She went into the entryway where her beaded bag was and came back into the living room with it. Harry watched his friend quietly as she opened up the bag and started rummaging around through it.

Seeing Hermione reaching down to her armpits in a bag that to the casual observer would have been impossible to do this with, in this house struck Harry as funny.

The sound of her digging around inside it, stacks of books falling over, the sounds of metal striking metal, glass clinking, and stacks of clothes and blankets toppling coming from a small ladies handbag made him smile at first. Then he chuckled. Then he broke out in full blown side splitting laughter.

He was laughing so hard that his stomach hurt and the looks on the faces of his friends around him made the scene all the more funny. None of them seemed at all surprised to see Hermione reaching around in her bag the way she would go through a large steamer trunk. They did however look at Harry as if something was very wrong with him.

"Uh...Harry?" Ron looked nervous.

"Harry, what is it? Are you okay?"

It took him several minutes to be able to calm down enough to speak. When he did, Harry had just time enough to draw in a breath when a sudden, blazing, blinding, all encompassing pain tore through his head. It felt like something was trying to break open his skull from the inside out.

The pain was so terrible, so agonizing, he couldn't hear his friends as they reacted to this sudden turn of events with concern. There was no way to know that they were shouting at him, trying to find out what had gone so suddenly and drastically wrong.

He couldn't feel his throat as he screamed himself silent or taste the blood from his tongue which he'd nearly bitten through. He didn't feel his fingernails as they dug into his scalp nor his nose crunch and break from the force of it hitting the floor.

And then Harry was moving. It felt rather like he was flying through the air. The rage and anger he felt as he coursed through the clouds high over the landscape below flowed through his veins.

There had been no word on Potter, his friends, or anyone from the vaulted Order of the Phoenix in some time. The Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, both suspected members of the Order, had recently thwarted his plans to kidnap another Hogwarts teacher; the Seer Trelawney.

She had been taken from under his nose. Now he was hearing about two of his Death Eaters, two who had been responsible for watching the suspected location of the Order of the Phoenix, who had recently been found far away from their station.

Upon interrogation it was learned that the Imperius Curse had been placed on them and their memories obliviated. Those to whom he had set the task of retrieving the memories of what had happened, still had not come up with anything. It would fall to him to right that. This inconvenience was not conducive to completing his current goal: locating the Wand of Destiny.

He would need that wand if he was to defeat Harry Potter. Potter; the source of his current rage. That he had escaped from Hogwarts and had done so with the help of Dumbledore from within his portrait also aggrieved him immensely. Yet Snape had stepped in when he, Lord Voldemort, had wanted to destroy the painting.

That he had done so had shocked Voldemort, though Snape's reasoning was sound. The man in the portrait could still be of use to them. Even if only as a source of information on Harry Potter.

It still angered him greatly that Potter he had not been able to surmise the reasons for Potter's coming to Hogwarts. The only thing he had clearly been able to determine was that Potter had obtained fangs from the long dead Basilisk in the Chamber under the school.

Why would Potter need those fangs? They couldn't be of any use to him, unless... Could he have surmised the reason why Voldemort could not die? Could Potter have learned the secret that even his own followers did not know?

He lamented the fact that he had not taken the opportunity to think on this topic sooner. If Potter did know, how would he have found out? Dumbledore? Intelligences had been made available to him that Potter and Dumbledore had been spending much more time together than was normal for Headmaster and pupil. Even than was normal for Teacher and student. Could this have been what the venerable old man had been teaching him?

As the flight overland crossed over the waters of the channel, Voldemort stopped in midair. It wasn't so very far to the cave. He could visit it and then resume his journey to visit the wandmaker, Gregorovich. He would need the blood of someone to get through the entrance and to drink the potion in the basin. Someone he could sacrifice to the infiri in the lake.

The decision made, Voldemort changed his destination. He turned back towards the land and the cave by the sea. He would visit this Horcrux and then resume his journey if all was well.

"Harry? Harry can you hear me?" Ginny was asking.

She sounded very far away.

"It looks like the worst of it is over," He heard Hermione's voice now, on the other side of him. She too sounded strangely far away.

One thing Harry knew was that he hurt. His chest hurt, his throat felt raw and abused, his face throbbed, ached, and he was having a devil of a time breathing. But for all this pain, it was nothing compared to the pain in his head. Even that was but a shadow of the pain he'd felt this time.

"I've got the wet towels," Harry heard Ron say. He sounded clearer than the others somehow.

"Give them here," Ginny instructed.

The next thing he felt was a cool, wet cloth against his face. It felt so good against the pain in his head, neck, and chest that he relaxed into it.

"That's right, love. It's better now, isn't it?" Ginny cooed.

She sounded closer now. Right next to him in fact. Harry realized then that his experience in the mind of Voldemort was over. He was coming back to his senses.

"Tergio," Hermione incanted gently.

The smell of vomit was gone now and Ginny was wiping determinedly at his face now.

"Ron, help me roll him over," Ginny asked.

He was on his stomach? He felt hands tentatively try and work their way under him and then roll him over on to his back.

"It looks like his nose is broken," Ron observed in a troubled voice.

"He hit his face really hard, Ron. What did you expect? Episkey!" Hermione sounded both relieved and frustrated.

A white hot pain, a dull ache, and then relief. His breathing came much easier now and except for where his lips had mashed into the floor, the pain in his face was gone at least. That was something. Harry tried opening his eyes.

"Harry? Love, are you okay?" Ginny asked, her voice laced with concern.

"You gave us a right scare there, mate. I don't mind telling you," Ron said from his kneeling position next to him.

Reaching up now to hold his hand to his head, Harry tried to speak. His throat was so raw that no words would come. He started choking on something. Rolling over he coughed, gagged, and sputtered until the mess of blood that had been sitting in his throat was expelled. Without saying anything, Hermione wordlessly cleaned that up too.

Harry nodded at her thankfully. She smiled in return, but it didn't reach her eyes. They were red, puffy, and swollen. She had been crying. Looking now at Ginny, he saw her eyes looked scared and glassy. She had not yet succumbed to tears.

When he looked at Ron, Harry noticed that his friend looked like he'd just had the wits scared out of him. His skin was ghostly pale and he wouldn't look Harry in the eyes for very long.

"Sorry," Harry whispered faintly.

"This was a bad one, wasn't it?" Ron asked.

He looked as if he was just confirming something he already knew. Harry nodded and winced. The pain in his head didn't like this movement. Neither did the pain in his throat.

"Why didn't you try to block him out, Harry?" Hermione sniffled.

"Oh come off it, Hermione! It's not like he had a chance to. You saw how fast it happened!" Ginny growled.

Looking as if she'd been slapped, Hermione jerked back. Ron put an arm around her protectively, "Don't get mad at her, she's just concerned for Harry. He's never had one this bad before. Not like I've ever seen anyway,"

Harry's mind was reeling. The visions he'd shared with Voldemort were still very clear in his mind. He closed his eyes again and shook his head only to gasp at the pain the movement caused.

"Harry?" Ginny's voice was worried.

"I shouldn't do that," Harry rasped quietly.

He saw his friends smile back at him weakly. They helped him sit up and Harry felt the wet mess on his shirt. Ginny helped him get it off while Hermione found him a clean one in her bag.

Once he had a clean shirt on, Harry took the glass of water Hermione offered to him and sipped at it carefully. The cool liquid felt very soothing on his raw throat.

Carefully, slowly, he got up and then sat down heavily on the couch. Ginny sat next to him and continued to wipe at his face and neck with the cool, wet cloth. Harry closed his eyes and relaxed a bit.

"Um, Harry?" Ron asked tentatively.

Opening his eyes he looked around. His glasses hadn't come off but they were dirty. He cleaned them quickly and put them back on.

"What is it, Ron?" Harry asked in a horse whisper.

"Wha, what happened? What did you see?" Ron prodded gently.

"Voldemort," Harry closed his eyes, "He's starting to figure things out,"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"The Horcruxes," He sighed. There was nothing to be done about it.

"Harry, we're kind of in the dark here," Hermione urged impatiently.

"He's in a rage. Some of his plans were upset by Kingsley and Tonks. He's on his way to visit someone named Gregorovich..."

"The wandmaker?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Harry replied finishing off his water, "Anyway, he got to thinking about why it was that I was at Hogwarts. He wasn't so far from the cave where the locket was, so he's gone to check it out,"

"He's what?" Ron's face went pale.

Looking at Hermione and Ginny, Harry could see that they too hadn't liked what they had heard. Not that he could blame them.

"Harry do you know what this means?" Hermione asked.

"Yes Hermione, I do. It means that our hunt for the Horcruxes is about to get a lot more difficult. It means that we still have to find them, and..." Harry stood up now and felt none too steady on his feet, "It means that when he finds out that the one Kreacher is looking for is gone, that he's going to be very angry. So angry that what I just went through won't even compare,"

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked as she followed him off the couch.

"Upstairs to lie down. When he finds that Horcrux gone, I think I'll know about it and all I can do is watch it happen,"

First fear and then horror shone in the others faces as they realized the gravity of what Harry had said. His connection with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was going to open again and Harry wasn't looking forward to it.

He couldn't bare to see the looks on their faces as he turned to leave the room. Secretly he was grateful that no one followed him. That was short lived when he heard soft footsteps behind him as he walked down the short hall, up the stairs, and down the hall to his room.

"You don't have to do this," Harry rasped quietly, "I know it's not fun to watch,"

Shaking her head at him, Ginny just came forward. She helped Harry onto his bed and then held him close to her while he closed his eyes to rest.

Even though he couldn't say it out loud, Harry was grateful that she was there. He turned his head into her and let the warmth of her presence lull him into a wakeful sleep.

When it finally happened, the shock of Harry suddenly sitting bolt upright in bed sent Ginny tumbling to the floor. Within seconds Ron and Hermione dashed into the room. This time they were ready. Hermione had a bowl of water and some towels. Ron carried a couple phials of potions in his hands.

While Ginny tried her best to hold and comfort Harry, the other two could only sit helplessly by and watch.

From inside the mind of Voldemort, Harry saw him use the Imperius curse on an old hobo he'd found not long after he had come to the village. The old muggle had been easy to subdue to his will.

From there Voldemort had taken the old man and lifted them both off the cliff and down to the cave. It was a simple matter to slice open the palm of the muggle and use his blood to gain entry to the chamber of the lake. He raised the boat and together they sailed across the lake to where the basin holding the Horcrux was kept.

After quickly planting the suggestion that the liquid in the bowl was some kind of liquor, the muggle fool had eagerly consumed the potion in the basin thinking it would make him drunk. Instead it had introduced the worthless thing to the horrors that haunted his past.

That was when his rage began. It was gone! The locket which has been so carefully and thoughtfully placed was not where he had left it. _Dumbledore!_ It could only be the old man.

With a flick of his wrist, Voldemort sent the wailing old muggle into the water to meet the infiri. He then used his magic to propel the boat back across the lake while his mind churned and his rage boiled over.

That the one who had helped him hide this was dead was good. But it proved that trusting others was a mistake. One that had to be rectified.

Nagini was on a mission. She would have to be brought home and watched carefully. No longer would she leave his side. The cup was hidden in Bellatrix's family vault. It would have to be moved, but where? He already had one Horcrux hidden within Hogwarts and he didn't like the idea of keeping two of them so close together. But where?

Voldemort's angry mind drifted towards the diadem of Ravenclaw and where he'd hidden it, all those years ago. It would be a good idea to check it. He had only to visit the castle and if he did it late at night, no one need know.

That fool Lucius had unwittingly given one Horcrux away. From what he had learned, it nearly worked. If Harry Potter hadn't have intervened, he could have returned two years sooner.

For a short time, keeping the diadem at Hogwarts would do no harm. He could keep it somewhere safe and there were many places that would make a good, though temporary home.

The problem of what to do with the Cup of Hufflepuff solved for now. His mind turned towards the ring. That old ring of old Gaunt. That needed to be checked too. The items were more important. They must be kept secret. They must be kept safe.

When Harry's eyes opened it was to the faces of three very concerned friends. All wore the same wide eyed expression of fear and grave concern. All three had faces that were white and devoid of blood. When he blinked his eyes, even that action caused him pain and a lot of it. This one had been the worst yet.

His throat was in pain and his face was wet. He tried to swallow but that action was agonizingly painful. His head felt as if a dozen dragons were fighting a raging battle inside it.

"Harry?" Ginny asked in a tiny, fearful voice.

He gave the tiniest of nods before the motion triggered his stomach and he rolled over and threw up.

All three jumped back out of the way.

"T-Tergio!" Hermione managed vanishing the mess.

The pain from moving so quickly and from the sudden expectoration from his stomach was so intense it brought tears to his eyes. Immediately Ginny was there with a wet cloth.

It felt cool and pleasant against his skin. Closing his eyes he allowed the sensation to help him relax. His mind was spinning and his thoughts drifting.

"Harry, here take this," Hermione said.

He opened his eyes and saw her shaking hand with a phial of potion in it. Ginny took it from her and unstoppered it. Her hand shook though less than Hermione's. Ever so gently Ginny helped Harry lift up his head and gingerly she administered it.

The pain of the liquid in his throat was quickly replaced by a cooling sensation that tasted horribly vile and then it was gone. The raw pain of his throat now felt like a severe ache. Soon after that the pain in his head started dissipating.

"Thanks," Harry said weakly.

"Harry," Ron began, "That was..."

"Horrible! I've never seen you like that. The other times you saw into his mind were nothing like what happened today. Harry, what's going on?" Hermione asked tearfully.

"I don't know, Hermione. I really don't know. But it's not something I want to repeat," Harry closed his eyes before a thought struck him, "Did you hear anything?"

"Only you screaming for the most part. You were talking but by then your voice was gone so we couldn't hear what it was you were saying," Ron explained.

In low, level tones, Harry explained what it was that he had seen during this excursion into the mind of Voldemort. He watched their faces carefully as he explained what he'd learned.

Voldemort knew about the locket. He knew about the diary. He was more angry about the locket than Harry had ever heard of him being before. It was confirmed that his snake, Nagini was a Horcrux. Harry then bestowed upon them the news of the cup and the diadem.

He told them of Voldemort going to check on the ring before he went to talk to Gregorovich at someplace called Nurmengard. The ring that was long gone and destroyed. Harry pretended not to see the looks on the other's faces when they realized what it would mean for him when Voldemort found out about that.

"So that means we need to get to Hogwarts, doesn't it?" Ginny asked.

"Harry, school has begun. There's no way to get in there without putting other people in danger," Hermione cautioned him.

"Well right now Hermione, there's nothing to be done for that. All we can do for now is wait for Kreacher. After we're done with the locket, then we'll have to look at what we can do to destroy the rest," Harry sighed and looked out the window.

However he looked at it, this was not going to be any kind of an easy task.

That evening was one that Harry spent in his bed. The two occurrences of seeing into Voldemort's mind and the aftermath of that, especially the second one had completely exhausted him.

He lay quietly for a long while with just his eyes open staring off into nothing. His mind had so many things whirling through it, it was hard to keep track of it all. So many things were happening and they were happening all at once.

The others stayed with him at first but when it was clear that the worst of it was over, at least for now. Eventually Ron's stomach started growling. Hermione smiled at his sheepish look and accompanied him downstairs. Ginny however insisted on staying with Harry.

While he was touched by the action, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He knew that he would be poor company but she didn't seem to mind. In fact she just pulled him close and stroked his hair and encouraged him to sleep.

Harry didn't think he could sleep, but he did. When he finally closed his eyes it was to that deep restful slumber that only comes after a hard day. It was a dreamless sleep.

When Harry next opened his eyes, it was to a darkened room. He was lying under his blankets on his bed but still in his clothes. Ron was snoring gently beside him He looked around and found his wand and glasses carefully laid on his nightstand next to a glass of water.

Clearly Ginny had continued to help him after he'd slept.

His mind wandered aimlessly. Today had certainly not gone as he had expected. The sight of Hermione reaching into that bag nearly up to her armpits when in the muggle world there was no physical way it could happen was what had made him laugh. He'd never gotten a chance to explain this before the "episodes" happened.

What he'd seen had been even more frightening. In all the time since Harry had been seeing into Voldemort's mind, never had the experience been so painful. Was it because the anger had been greater than usual?

A noise in the hall caught his attention. A floor board had squeaked. Someone was out there. The doorknob turned and the door opened slowly and in the dark without his glasses Harry had a hard time seeing.

A head with long, straight hair carefully peeked in. He smiled at the figure in the darkness. Even though he couldn't quite see exactly who it was, Harry would have bet his Firebolt, Wand, and half the money in his Gringotts account that it was Ginny.

"Harry? Are you okay?" She asked in a whisper.

"Alright I guess,"

"Do you need anything?" She asked.

He sat up in bed and she watched him carefully from the door. Harry then stood up and swayed uncertainly before he caught his balance and made his way to where Ginny stood.

"What are you doing?" She asked carefully.

"Loo," Harry said with a bit of a smile as he moved past her and to the bathroom.

When he came out he was a little surprised to see Ginny still there waiting for him. He smiled at her and she back at him. Harry realized then that he wasn't tired.

Walking down the hall he went back into his bedroom and picked up his glasses and his wand. Then he left his room again to go downstairs.

While he moved around easily enough, it wasn't without pain. His muscles all over his body were stiff and sore, the legs and back especially.

"Aren't you going back to bed?" Ginny asked as she followed him downstairs.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep,"

"You did sleep quite a long time today," The look on her face was teasing but there was concern in her eyes.

"You know, just because I'm up doesn't mean you have to be. You should go to bed," Harry urged.

She just continued to look at him and raised her eyebrows at him. The smile that played around her lips told him quite enough. She wasn't going to bed either.

"Suit yourself then," He turned and went downstairs.

Going into the kitchen, Harry put on water for tea. In this house, in this kitchen, it was a task he'd done a thousand times before. So many times he did it by rote not paying any attention to what it was he was doing. Thus he was quite aware that Ginny had followed him into the kitchen and was now standing right behind him.

"Dobby came back from doing the shopping not long after you went upstairs," She said quietly.

Her voice sounded odd. Like she was holding something back. Turning around he saw her looking at him strangely; like she couldn't quite figure something out.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You,"

"Me? What about me?" Harry was curious.

She hadn't said it in an accusing tone. More like she was genuinely baffled by something. However she seemed to want to talk about it so Harry didn't have long to wait for an answer.

"You've been through the ringer today. I saw things...scary things. You were rolling all over on the floor and moving around so much no one could get near you. You'd tense up so tight and hold it for so long it looked like you were going to explode. I've never seen anything like it. Yet here you are, making tea in the middle of the night like nothing happened,"

Turning now back to the tea, Harry took a moment to collect his thoughts before he answered; "When I was eight I got sick. Really sick. I probably should have been taken to the doctor and given something. Except that I wasn't. My Aunt and Uncle didn't care; I still had to get up. I still had chores to do. Washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning and vacuuming the house, dusting and polishing the furniture and the floors. I was made to weed the garden, trim the roses, cut the grass, and take out the garbage. Just because I was sick didn't mean I could get out of doing anything. I guess it kind of taught me something; What happens to you can only hold you down if you let it,"

"Harry," Ginny began but she couldn't finish it.

He felt her staring at him. He knew it as surely as he knew that he wouldn't sleep again until that night. Still he didn't turn around. He didn't want to face her and look into her eyes and see what he knew he would see there. The anger, outrage or injustice of it all.

"It's all done and over now isn't it? Its not like I can do anything about it now, can I? All I can do is go on," Harry shrugged.

The next thing he felt was Ginny's arms encircling his waist and her head on his back. He leaned back into her a bit and closed his eyes momentarily. They remained this way until the tea kettle started to whistle.

Harry put tea in two cups and then poured water over it to let it steep. Then he turned around and faced her. As he looked at her she returned his gaze. There was a fire in her eyes that he recognized. It was defiance.

Without a word, she was daring him to say something, do something, anything to continue excusing the actions of his relatives. He knew the expression she wore all too well. It was one she affected every time she'd heard about some injustice or torment his family had inflicted upon him. For their sake, Harry hoped that Ginny never met them. He didn't think they'd survive unscathed.

When he didn't say anything to her after a few moments her eyes softened. She smiled at him and then reached around him and grabbed both cups of tea. Carrying them into the living room, she sat them down on the coffee table in front of the couch. Then sitting down herself she reached up and gently pulled him down next to her.

Wrapping her arms around him tightly she held him close against her. He could feel her breathing and the rhythmic beat of her heart as she turned around and faced him.

Then her breath was warm on his face as she closed the distance between them. The tea sat forgotten on the table as her lips met his. Tenderly at first then with more determination. Harry's pains and aches were forgotten in those moments as he felt himself truly relax into Ginny's arms. Forgotten just as surely as if he'd never suffered them at all.

Later that morning when Hermione and Ron came downstairs, everyone spent a quiet, lazy morning just engaging in idle conversation. They didn't discus the things that were foremost on their minds; Kreacher and what had happened to Harry the day before.

Ron kept looking at Harry in sidelong glances which Harry ignored. He felt as though his friend was expecting him to have another episode. Hermione seemed to be ignoring this as well. She did however reach into her beaded bag to retrieve a few of the books that were stashed in there.

"What are you looking for, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

Harry was watching her as she was reaching around in the bag. For some reason it wasn't nearly as funny as it had been the day before.

"The books on magical healing. Potions can do a lot, but there's stuff that we don't know that we should," Hermione's voice was muffled as she searched her bag.

"Like that Episkey spell. That came in right handy, didn't it?" Ron asked looking at Harry.

"Here they are!" Hermione looked triumphant as she held up first one large book and then two smaller ones.

"Yeah, it did. Anyone hungry?" Harry answered Ron as he stood up and walked out of the living room.

"I am," Ron's eyes lit up at the mention of food.

"Ron, you're always hungry," Ginny shook her head at her brother as she watched Harry leave the room. Ginny made to get up and follow him but Hermione beat her to it.

Harry heard the footsteps following him and he had a very good idea as to whose they were. He knew that Hermione would want to talk to him at some point, even if it was only to badger him about using Occlumency.

In the kitchen he went about the task of making a late breakfast or early lunch. Today, given as tired as he was, it would be simple fare; meat, cheese, crackers, and maybe some pickled cucumber chips or olives.

"Do you need any help?"

Hermione's voice was tentative. She sounded almost like she didn't know what else to say. Turning around now to look at her, he saw how worried the look was on her face. Especially in her eyes.

He smiled tiredly at her, "This won't take long,"

She studied him for a long minute. Harry waited for her to finish her observation to see where her mind was going.

"Are you okay, Harry?" She finally asked.

He gave a humorless chuckle, "What makes you ask that?"

"Harry...I..."

He cut her off, not wanting to be rude but more not wanting to be hassled about the Occlumency thing again, "No, Hermione. I'm not okay. Not really. And don't ask me about Occlumency either. I've never been able to get the hang of that and you know it,"

She looked a little hurt by his chastisement but continued on; "I wasn't going to ask you about that,"

Immediately feeling guilty now for making her feel bad, Harry sighed; "What were you going to ask about then?"

She came forward and embraced him tightly. The strength of it startled him, "Seeing you like that yesterday...Harry, I've never been so scared. Or felt so powerless,"

He returned the embrace understanding now what it was that was worrying her so much. The fact was it scared him too. It was almost as if the connection was getting stronger.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. Really I am. I didn't mean to scare anyone,"

"We know that, Harry. We just wish there was something we could do to make it stop,"

"So do I," He sighed feeling there was more truth to this than he wanted to admit.

"At least we're doing something about it. It has to end sometime, right?"

Harry appreciated Hermione's positive attitude. She was right of course. It did have to end. The fact that Voldemort put as much stake in the prophecy as he did was proof enough of that. What scared him was the thought of how high the cost would be when everything was said and done. Figuring it was best not to voice this worry, he just let that thought go for now.

"When Kreacher gets back things will be better. You'll see," Harry told her with a confidence he didn't really feel.

"How so?"

"We can finally get rid of that damned Horcrux. Then we'll only have three more to go before...before I finish this,"

"Before _we_ finish this you mean," Hermione's eyes were deadly serious and Harry knew that arguing with her would do little good.

"Alright, before we finish this. Come on now, lets get lunch finished before Ron's stomach eats a hole through him, shall we?"


	16. The Horcrux

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Chapter 16**

For several days they waited for Kreacher to return with Mundungus Fletcher. Though their time waiting for the return of the elf was not just spent sitting idle. The group continued to practice magic. They talked about what they would do when the elf returned. Then they practiced more magic.

Everything they learned they practiced both verbally and non-verbally. Offensive and defensive spells, jinxes, curses, and hexes were learned and mastered as were other more mundane things like healing spells, compass charms, housekeeping magic, magic involving the elements such as fire, water, and the air, they really tried to cover everything they could think of.

They practiced transfiguring one thing into another, conjuring things, and even allowed Hermione to begin teaching them what she knew about ancient runes and arithmancy.

It wasn't long before they settled into a routine which had the benefits of giving them something to do with their time and an opportunity to learn things that they might not have quite mastered at school. Harry in particular thought that Professor McGonagall would have been quite pleased with the progress he and Ron both had made in Transfiguration alone.

However with all of the activity, there was still plenty of time for boredom which left Harry alone with his thoughts. One thought in particular that kept creeping up in his mind, especially when he was trying to go to sleep at night was what would happen when Voldemort discovered that the ring he'd hidden away so carefully was gone.

It worried him more and more as each day passed because he knew that when the discovery was made, it would mean another episode. This was something that Harry dearly wanted to avoid for as long as possible. After the effects of the last two times he'd seen into Voldemort's mind, it worried him what might happen when the link was opened up again.

Unbeknownst to Harry, this topic was also one that had occurred to the others as well. Though they were loathe to discus it with him or anywhere that he might over hear it, it was a common topic of conversation for them.

The reasons for their concern was very real. None of them had enjoyed watching Harry as he had endured the tortuous agony of bearing witness to Voldemort's rage. Neither did any of them care to watch Harry having to recover from such an incident.

Another area of concern for the group was what would happen when the Horcrux was destroyed? Harry alone was the only one of the group to have actually destroyed a Horcrux and from what he'd described, it had been fairly easy after dueling with the Basilisk.

However after hearing about what happened to Professor Dumbledore and his hand when he'd destroyed the ring, the very ring Voldemort now hunted, Hermione had now developed the very irritating habit of interrogating Harry about everything he'd seen or heard about the actions Professor Dumbledore had taken.

"After all," She'd explained more than once, "The Diary was already doing what it was designed to do when Harry destroyed it. Young Tom Riddle had returned and was getting stronger as he sucked away at Ginny's life energy. The ring had only been found when it was destroyed,"

After the third such interrogation, Harry's answers became more terse and clipped; "Yes, Hermione. I'm sure you're right,"

"I rather think that we would be wise to use what happened with the ring as our example of what to expect,"

"I'm not disagreeing with you," Harry sighed heavily.

He was wishing more and more that Kreacher would hurry up and return. At this point, Harry would give him Regulus' room for his very own place to sleep if it would make Hermione stop the endless speculation and interrogation.

"So tell us again what you know about the ring and what happened when Professor Dumbledore touched it," Hermione urged happily.

"Oh come off it, Hermione!" Ron said getting disgruntled now, "We've been over and over this. We know what happened when he touched the ring. What good is it going to do to go over it all again?"

Hermione's feelings were hurt, "I just thought if we went over it maybe we could catch something important that we might nave missed!"

Wanting to prevent a row, Harry intervened; "I don't think we've missed anything, Hermione. Anyway I reckon it won't do us much good to go over it again now, but that doesn't mean it might not help to review everything again when Kreacher gets back,"

Mollified for the moment, Hermione gave Ron a dirty look and left the room with Ginny following her. That left Ron and Harry alone in the living room. Ron's mind was still on the conversation they'd been having.

"Honestly, I don't know what she hoped to gain from going over it all again. By now I think we could all describe what happened in our sleep,"

"You know Hermione," Harry replied tiredly, "She likes to make sure nothing is over looked,"

"I don't know how that's possible as many times as we've gone over everything,"

Harry let this go his mind drifting to other topics. It had been almost a week since Kreacher had left. Almost a week as well since his episodes when Voldemort discovered the missing Horcrux. What would happen when he got around to locating the ring? How bad would the episode be then?

He had to admit the thought of what was sure to happen scared him. The fact was that seeing into his mind and feeling his rage was frightening enough but lately the intensity of the experience had increased ten fold. He well remembered the pain from what happened last time and it wasn't something he was anxious to experience again even with the potions that would help him being close by.

Knowing full well the others were just as nervous, Harry couldn't help but be just a little jealous of them. They only witnessed what he went through. He had to live it.

His mind was so deep into his thoughts, he didn't hear Ron's question until he called Harry's attention to it.

"Hey, Harry! Did you hear me?"

"What? No Ron, sorry,"

"Are you alright?" Ron's question was meant to be friendly it wasn't his fault that everyone had been asking it lately.

Even if it was several times a day. By almost everyone in the house. Of course they also had reason to ask the question and be concerned.

"I'm fine, Ron," Harry said irritably.

"Well I was wondering what you thought,"

"About what?" Harry sighed.

"About Dumbledore and if he knew what things would be like for us. Do you think he had any idea?"

Harry thought about that question for a moment. How much did Dumbledore really know? How much could he have known?

"I think...I think that he knew full well that it would be difficult. That much I'm sure of. I don't that he would have taken the time he did to help me learn and to prepare if he didn't think it would be difficult,"

"Why didn't he teach you and help you learn more advanced magic do you think?" Ron asked looking curious, "I mean, he had loads of time to do it when you two were up in his office. It didn't all have to be about learning about You-Know-Who, did it?"

"Who knows, Ron? I don't. There's a lot of things about Dumbledore that I wish I knew," Like why he never mentioned he was from Godric's Hollow, or how I'm supposed to defeat Voldemort once the Horcruxes are gone, Harry thought angrily.

Standing up Harry left the room. He heard Hermione talking to Ginny in low tones in the kitchen and after suddenly deciding that he wanted to be alone, Harry went upstairs. Not wanting to be disturbed, Harry ducked into his old bedroom.

It looked surprisingly sparse and bare with his bed removed. He spent a few minutes tidying up the space a bit as his mind wandered.

Kreacher was gone looking for Mundungus. No one really knew for sure if he still had the Horcrux and the answer to that question would be what determined their next move.

Voldemort was going to look for his ring. He knew that Harry was in possession of at least one Basilisk fang and the reason why Harry needed one. While the question of what the other Horcruxes were had been answered, the question as to how to get to them had not.

What was more now that Voldemort knew that Harry was looking for the Horcruxes, he was bound to do more to make sure that they were protected. Its not like the magic that had protected them before was easy enough to get past either. Who knew what measures Voldemort would take? Dumbledore never gave Harry any indication of the types of things that Voldemort might use either.

Why hadn't he done more to help me? To teach me? There had to be magic out there that might he might have thought was worth knowing. Look at all the things we've learned since leaving school!

On a whim, Harry waved his wand and vanished the trash that he'd picked up off the floor. The task came as easily as breathing to him now. Only a year ago it was one that he would have found exceedingly difficult. Thinking about this only served to underline his point.

Did Professor Dumbledore not think that Harry was up to learning this kind of magic? Did he think that Harry might abuse it? Where was the trust?

Thinking back on that cave, Harry wondered how much of Dumbledore taking Harry with him had been a show of trust and how much had been a shrewd hunch that he might need some help and since Harry was so deeply involved, why not let him do it? If only he could have lived that night.

Harry had so many questions for the venerable old man that his mind reeled at the thought of which one he might ask first.

"Harry?" Ginny's voice called from just outside the door.

Turning around he saw it swinging open to reveal Ginny standing there on the other side. He looked at her a moment while trying not to stare. She was beautiful. Her hair shone in the light from the hall almost like molten copper. Her chocolate brown eyes were bright and inquisitive as she studied him in return. Feeling some color enter his face, Harry wondered if she was fighting the same urge to hold her and kiss her that he was.

She entered the room and came up to him. Her hands on his chest she sighed heavily. "I couldn't take any more of Hermione's ranting. Ron's asleep in the living room and so I thought I'd see what you were doing up here..."

"Thinking mostly," Harry answered as he slowly and tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist.

"About what?" She seemed genuinely curious.

Unlike Ron and Hermione who spent so much time worrying about him, Ginny seemed content to leave him alone. Either that or she was just better at hiding her worries than they were.

"Do you think we'll be here long?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Here in this house?" Harry asked.

She nodded and Harry began to think, "I don't know. It makes sense to stay at least for a little while since we're safe here. We can practice our magic and get things ready for what it is we have to do. But I think that sooner or later we're going to have to leave. There's work that has to be done and we can only spend so long preparing for it before we have to get out there and do it,"

"Are you ready? You know, for what it is we're going to do?" Ginny asked as she sat down on the floor with her back to the wall.

She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Getting the hint that she wanted to spend some time talking to him, Harry sat down next to her. He pulled the little Snitch from his pocket and began playing with it absently as they talked.

"I don't know if ready is the way to put it exactly. I don't know that I'll ever be ready to do what all needs to be done. That doesn't change the fact that it needs doing..."

"...and you're the one who has to do it," Ginny looked away from him as she finished his statement quietly.

Not knowing quite how to respond or even what it was she wanted to hear, Harry didn't say anything at all. He just sat there next to her as they both let their minds wander.

"Are you...scared? You know, to face him?" Ginny asked softly.

She turned to look at Harry now her brown eyes searching his green ones for something. What that something was Harry didn't know.

He already knew the answer to her question. It was something that had been on his mind off and on for some time now. The dilemma he faced was whether or not to tell her. Finally Harry decided on the truth.

He nodded his head and answered quietly, "Yes, I'm scared to face him."

"What has you the most scared?" Ginny reached out and took his hand in hers. Her thumb gently rubbed the back of his hand back and forth.

"Many things, it's hard to pick just one; what kind of magic is he going to know and use? What are his followers going to do? How do I keep you safe? He's the one who killed my parents. If they couldn't stop him, what makes everyone so sure that I can? If by some kind of miracle I do defeat him, what happens then? What happens to me? To us? I don't know..." Harry shook his head and looked out the window at the dark clouds in the sky.

He didn't realize how intense his feelings were on this subject until he gave voice to them. Even so he still couldn't say the one thing that bothered him even more than what he'd told Ginny; What happened if any of them, especially her, was lost in this war?

The feelings he had towards Ginny were getting stronger. A lot stronger. He had lately even started thinking about what a life with her could be like. One that was free of the constant fighting and running from those who wanted to kill them. Those thoughts and feelings were things that he could ill afford right now.

_*POP*_

The sound caught Harry's attention. He turned his eyes towards the door and was on his feet before Ron or Hermione could yell out; "Harry! Kreacher's here!"

"OW! Gerroff me! Yeh the lot who set this bloody house elf on me? Call 'im off!" The angry voice of Mundungus Fletcher could be heard shouting and swearing downstairs.

Taking a moment to help Ginny to her feet they together rushed downstairs to see Kreacher there holding tightly to the dingy, grimy, tattered old robes of Mundungus Fletcher.

"Master," The house elf's eyes lit up upon seeing Harry, "Kreacher has fulfilled his mission! Kreacher has located and brought back the filthy sneak thief Mundungus as Master ordered!"

He couldn't help but smile at the old elf and his enthusiasm especially as he aimed a kick at one of Dung's shins.

"OW! Yeh bleedin' elf! Piss off!"

"You did well, Kreacher. Thank you!" Harry said happily to him as he turned towards Mundungus, "Hello Mundungus. Remember me?"

Dung looked at Harry and his eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Aye, yeh, I do. You're Harry Potter. What's the big idea settin' your house elf on me like that?"

Indeed Harry was happy to see his house elf again. He felt like a great load had been removed from his shoulders. Even more so when he saw Mundungus Fletcher's eyes widen a little fearfully when he pointed his wand at the man and said calmly;

"Accio wand,"

The filthy wand shot out of Dung's cloak and Harry caught it deftly left handed. He handed the wand to Ginny who took it gingerly in two fingers like she was afraid that whatever was on it might rub off on her. The look on her face was revolted. Harry couldn't blame her for feeling the way she did.

"Right Dung, this shouldn't take too long. Come with me," Harry said as he gestured for the scruffy old man to proceed him into the kitchen.

"What's this all about? Why did you bring me here? What do you want me for anyway? I panicked alright? I saw Bleedin You-Know-Who himself and I panicked. That's why I left. I never meant no-one to get hurt!"

His eyes looked close to panic and they kept glancing towards the door. Bringing his wand up to point straight at his heart, Harry said calmly; "I want to talk to you, Dung,"

Putting his hands up in defeat, the older man went into the kitchen. Ron and Hermione, who had been standing behind Harry and Ginny, parted to let Dung go past.

Harry noticed a whiff of stale tobacco smoke, fire whiskey, and clothes that had gone too long without being washed. The old con's hair was long, down past his collar. It was greasy and filthy as the rest of him. It made Harry smile to think of how his Aunt Petunia would cringe to know such a filthy, dirty creature had been invited to sit down in her spotless house.

Once in the kitchen, everyone took a seat at the table. Kreacher, who was happy to be back with his family and proud of himself for completing his assigned task, went about the process of making tea for everyone. Every now and again the elf would gleefully turn around and take a swipe at Mundungus, or kick at his legs, or pull on his ears or hair.

Watching the elf do this made everyone else except Mundungus laugh and giggle, much to the man's increasing aggravation and discomfort. After a particularly hard smack on the back of his head, Dung finally had enough; "Ow! Would you tell your bloomin' elf to stop? That hurt!"

Seeing an opportunity, Harry seized upon it and replied, "I'll tell him to stop. But I want you to tell me the truth. We're going to have a talk, okay?"

"I already told you, I panicked!" Mundungus cried.

"That's not why we had you brought here, Dung. I..."

_"...We..."_

"Thank you, Hermione, _we_, have something else in mind to discus with you," Harry finished.

From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Hermione and Ginny nodding at each other. Ron, who was standing behind him, clapped Harry on one shoulder and added; "There's a few things we need to know, Dung. And from what we can tell you're about the only one who can help us right now,"

"Me? Whaddaya lot need me for? I don't know nuthin!"

"I think you know more than you're telling us," Harry leveled a steely gaze at the old scruff.

Dung shifted uncomfortably in his seat and his eyes kept glancing at his wand. Seeing this and fearing that he might make a grab for it, Harry told him; "Tell us what we need to know, and we'll let you go. No harm done. It's not like we're going to kill you,"

"You might not be going to kill me, but that don't mean that bloody You-Know-Who or some of his followers won't if they cotton on that I talked to you," Dung grumbled mutinously.

"You're an old hand at getting yourself out of tight spots, I'm sure you'll do alright," Harry was feeling merciless at the moment; the man who was at least partly responsible for the death of Mad-Eye.

"Well come on then, tell me what it is that you want to know!" Dung wailed.

Taking only a moment or two to marshal his thoughts, Harry cleared his throat and began; "How many times did you ransack Sirius' house?"

"I don't know what you mean," Dung said as his eyes widened.

"Don't give us that," Ron growled, "We all know you took anything you thought was worth something and you ran off with it. Harry caught you last year trying to sell some of the Black family's things!"

Mundungus held up his hands looking at Ginny fearfully. Glancing back at her, Harry noticed she held her own wand in her hands and was toying with it a little.

"I went in there, alright? It wasn't like he was ever going to need any of it!"

"And you thought you could sell those things for your own profit!" Hermione's voice was scathing.

"Not to mention that it was Harry's stuff you took," Ginny added dryly.

"Hey now, no one told me...OW!"

There was a blurring movement of the wand in Ginny's hand. The next thing everyone knew, Mundungus' hands were slapping at slimy things with bat wings that were attacking his head and face.

"Bat Bogey hex," Ginny explained with a smile.

"Brilliant!" Ron chortled as he and everyone else watched Mundungus try to fight off his own flying bogies.

"Alright, alright! I knew it was Harry's! I just never expected him to want any of it!"

"More likely you never expected him to catch you until after you had sold it off for a price," Ron quipped.

For a few more minutes they watched Dung as he tried unsuccessfully to get rid of the bat bogeys. When Ginny cancelled the spell, the look on Dung's face was one of cautious respect. Whatever he had been expecting from the group of kids holding him hostage, this certainly wasn't it.

"So," Harry went on, pretending like the bat bogey hex attack never happened, "You stole the things Sirius left to me to sell and make a profit from. Do you have any of those things left?"

"Why?" Dung asked suspiciously.

"He wants to know what he has that's worth anything," Ron realized.

"Or if he got rid of something he should have asked more for," Ginny amended.

"Answer the question, Dung," Harry ordered.

"I might have a few things left, yeah. I suppose you'll be wanting them back now, is that it?"

"In a manner of speaking," Harry smiled at him.

Carefully setting his moleskin bag on the table, Harry opened up the drawstring and reached inside the bag. From within it he removed the fake locket and then held it up for Mundungus to see. From the corner of his eye he saw Kreacher, who had been about to serve the tea he had made, freeze and stare at it. Dung's eyes widened as he too recognized the item Harry held up in front of him.

"Do you still have anything that looks like this?"

Immediately Dung started shifting and squirming in his seat. Clearly he was quite uncomfortable. Whether it was because he had the item and didn't want to give it up or was afraid because he had gotten rid of it and didn't want Harry throttling him again remained to be seen.

They watched him shift and squirm for a minute before Ginny said; "You don't have it, do you?"

The fidgeting and squirming became even more pronounced. Dung reached up and scratched the back of his head glancing at the back door as he did so. He looked like he was weighing his chances of going for it.

"Mundungus?" Hermione prodded.

"I...No, I don't have it. But I can get it! I know where it is! It won't take me but a minute, if you just let me go and get it..." He said quickly, eyes on his wand in Ginny's hand.

"Not likely," Ron scoffed, "You'd walk out that door and we'd never see you again. Not a chance,"

Heartily agreeing with his best mate, Harry followed with an offer of his own; "Where is it? One of us will go and get it. You can leave when we come back with the locket,"

The others started to argue but Harry held up his hand, his eyes on Mundungus. The shifty old man seemed to be a step ahead of them; "Oh, you'll never find it. Not without me there. I really ought to be with you when you get it,"

"Not happening, Dung. You stole the object. It's only right that you have to give it back. I'm beginning to think either you don't really have it, or you really want me to repeat that Bat-bogey curse," Ginny said.

Glancing back at her, Harry had to stifle a smile. She looked fierce and determined. He wouldn't want to cross her if she was looking at him the way she was looking at Dung. More over, it seemed that Dung didn't either.

"No! Not that! Not again! Anything but that!" He shifted uneasily and shuddered in his seat.

"Then let's try this again," Harry said with no trace of humor or kindness in his voice, "Where is my locket?"

"I...I sold it. To a...fellow perveyor of fine and wonderous objects of...questionable history...he paid me seven Galleons for it. Shoulda asked more I expect..." He looked side long at Harry and his friends as he said this like he was assessing the reaction.

"Can you find him again?" Hermione asked.

"Or do you know where we can find him?"

"I know where he might be maybe. I might could find him...if you let me go try,"

"Sure, but we're going to go with you," Harry smiled at Dung, "Ron and I,"

"We are?" Ron asked looking surprised.

"Sure, why not? We haven't been out and about in a good long time. It will do us some good to get outside and see how things are," Harry grinned.

Hermione and Ginny exchanged fearful glances

"Harry, you aren't exactly the most popular wizard in the world right now. Don't you think it would be better if one of us goes instead?" Hermione asked with Ginny nodding her head in support.

"Nonsense, I'll just take my Invisibility Cloak," Harry answered.

In truth as soon as he heard Dung say that he didn't have the item, he figured they would have to hunt it down. The thought of being out there doing something appealed to him. Harry was tired of laying low and not doing anything to help further their cause. Now that Kreacher was back and they knew what had to be done, Harry was anxious to be out there doing it.

The thoughts of walking down Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade village were so appealing to Harry that he felt his chest tighten at the thought of it. He wanted to get out. To get away. He wanted _freedom_.

Then reality came crashing down. Even with the invisibility cloak there were still so many things that could quickly go wrong. Just as he started realizing this, Ginny had started speaking,

"Dung, where is it that you expect to find your friend?" The stress in her voice could not be mistaken.

"Oh he don't like to keep to one place for too long now," Dung said shiftily.

"Where, Dung?" Ron pressed more directly.

The grizzled man scowled at the four young people in front of him and set his jaw, "He don't like to say,"

Ginny's wand whipped up and it pointed steadily at Dung's face. When she asked him again there was no doubt she would revisit the Bat Bogey hex on him if he didn't answer the question; "Where?"

Eyes widening he quickly held up his hands as if to shield himself and cried, "I don't know! Alright? I don't know, he could be at the Hog's Head, that's where I found him last time,"

"I think," Ginny said looking at Harry and Hermione, "That Hermione and I should go. We're smaller, so its easier for us both to fit under the invisibility cloak. We're not as well known as Harry is and we could probably accomplish more than you boys could if it came down to a negotiation,"

"What makes you say that?" Ron asked indignantly. He didn't seem to like being left out of things.

"Simple, Ron. If it comes down to talking our way out of a tight spot or if we need to convince someone to give up something, we can turn on our feminine charms," Ginny winked at him.

Ron's ears turned bright red and his eyes widened slightly as he looked away from his sister, seemingly at a loss for words.

Ginny smiled at Harry who had to look away from his best mate to hide the grin on his face. He didn't particularly like the idea that she had suggested and his mind was racing to try and think of a better one. One that didn't involve him putting his foot down and having to endure the wrath of both women when they accused him of thinking they couldn't handle themselves just was well as he could.

Truth be told, when Harry thought about it and was truly honest with himself, he had to admit that Ginny's idea was a good one. Her face hadn't been in the Daily Prophet nearly as often as his had. That he knew of anyway. Hermione too was not as quickly recognized but she had the extra danger of being a muggle born. If she were to be caught Harry shuddered to think of what might happen to her.

"So the Hog's Head is where we're likely to find him? And who is it we're looking for?" Hermione asked.

Looking mutinous Mundungus crossed his arms over his chest and looked like he wasn't going to answer, "His name is Vincent LeMorte and he don't like talking to strangers,"

"I'm sure he'll be very willing to make friends once you introduce us," Ginny smiled sweetly at Dung.

"And just what do I get for helping you all with this, huh? Wha's in this for ol' Mundungus Fletcher?"

"You can have your wand back," Ginny told him holding up the grimy and well used wand, "After we get the locket."

This offer only seemed to make Mundungus all the more uncomfortable. She started shifting and squirming in his seat even more. Watching him like this only served to annoy Harry.

After a few moments of seeing the wizard in front of them squirm like a child at a formal occasion, Harry finally said; "If you like, I can send Kreacher with you. I'm sure he'd love to accompany you to get the locket."

Old Mundungus sighed; "And what do I get out of it, huh? What do I get for getting your precious locket back for you? It must be worth something to you for you to push me so hard about it,"

"Are you saying you want to be _paid_ for something _you_ stole from _me_ in the first place?" Harry was outraged.

He could feel his anger rising and his opinion of the man in front of him lowering as the seconds went on. It was all he could do to not throttle Dung all over again. To do so however, would be less than productive.

That didn't stop Ginny. With a flash and a bang Mundungus' hands were at his face again as he had to bat at the flying bogies that were suddenly attacking him. When Harry turned to look at her, she had a fearsome expression and an angry cast to her eyes.

Ron and Hermione both wore identical expressions of shock and disbelief. However at the moment Harry didn't care. Maybe this would be enough to remind Old Dung of the situation he was in and get him to cooperate. He could hope so anyway.

Just then Kreacher came running into the room with a screech and a heavy frying pan. He started kicking at old Dung and whacking away at him with the pan in his hands.

"Oi! Gerroff! Gerroff! Stop!" Dung wailed trying to fend of this newest attack as well as the bat-winged bogies that were flying around his face and head as he continued to swear at the bogies and Harry's house elf.

For all his hemming and hawing over being asked to get the locket, Harry was beginning to wonder if Mundungus knew where it was at all. He was of a good mind to let Kreacher and the attack of the bat bogies continue for another minute or two, if only to teach the man a lesson.

Harry was just turning to have Ginny cancel the jinx when Dung cried out; "I got it! I got it! Get 'em offa me n you can have it!"

Chills ran down his spine when he heard that. Did Mundungus just say what he thought he'd said? The looks on the other's faces told him that he wasn't hearing things.

"Kreacher, I want you to stop attacking Mundungus for the moment," Harry ordered.

Immediately the elf stopped his assault on old Dung and backed off a few steps. As he did this Ginny cancelled her jinx. Harry looked back at the now battered, bruised, and bleeding old man.

His left eye was beginning to swell up and his nose was leaking blood like a sieve. There were knots forming on his head and bruises covered the rest of his face and arms. Harry felt momentarily guilty for all the abuse that had been heaped on the man.

"What was it you just said?" He asked firmly.

"I said I have it! I have that bleedin locket you're going on about!" Dung reached deep into his robes and pulled out a locket that looked nearly identical to the fake one that Harry had in his own hands.

The man's hands shook as he held the locket out and then dropped it unceremoniously on the table, "Here! You can bloody well have it!"

All eyes in the room landed on the locket that was now on the table. It seemed to have a presence of it's own. No one moved to touch it or even take a closer look at it.

Suddenly with a terrible screech, Kreacher came bounding up to Mundungus and whacked him once on the head very hard. The old man went careening to the floor where he lay still, knocked out cold by the elf who was now attempting to punish himself with the frying pan the same way he'd been going at Dung.

"Oh no you don't!" Ron grabbed for the elf and tore the pan out of his hands.

The venerable old elf started bawling and crying now, his eyes on the locket.

"Master, Kreacher is sorry. He is a bad elf! Kreacher could not carry out your orders to destroy the locket. Kreacher is bad! Bad! Bad!"

His eyes were leaking tears as profusely as Dung's nose was blood. The elf fell to his knees and started pounding his fists on the floor.

"Kreacher," Harry said kindly, remembering his promise, "Kreacher, I order you to stop this right now,"

Immediately the elf stopped his crying and bawling and reluctantly he stood up. Harry knew what it was that needed to be done. Seeing it in his mind's eye he addressed his elf as kindly as he could. Holding out the fake locket, he said; "Here, Kreacher. You've done what I asked. You earned this,"

With his eyes leaking and nose running, the grizzled elf reached out with trembling hands and took the locket from Harry's outstretched hand. The look of adoration and gratitude in his eyes was impossible to miss. It looked completely foreign on this particular elf's face.

"Th-Thank you, Master," Kreacher said bowing low and continuing, "Noble is the house of Potter. Kreacher will serve him and his friends gladly. What would master have Kreacher do next?"

Looking to the others for suggestions, it was Ron who spoke first.

"We need to get Dung out of here,"

"But he knows where we are. Are we going to find somewhere else to go?" Ginny asked looking from Ron to Harry.

"We'll obliviate him. We can have Kreacher take him somewhere and leave him at the bottom of a hill. Like maybe near Hogsmeade or something. We can Obliviate his memory and maybe plant the idea that he took a bad step and fell. That would explain all the bruises and when he gets into the village he'll probably get drunk to forget even more,"

"Hermione," Harry began uncertainly.

"That's brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, "Anyone who finds him wouldn't be at all surprised to see him turn up in a bar looking like that!"

Cutting short his argument, Harry looked over at Ginny and did a double take. Never had he seen such loathing, such utter revulsion on her beautiful face. Such was her expression that it didn't even look like her; more like a poor caricature.

Her eyes were deadlocked on the locket in front of her on the table. Her attention was focused on it to the exclusion of everything and everybody else. Harry could even see a slight tremble to her lips, eyes, and fingers. She was burning with hatred and rage at the locket and what it held.

His mind started racing in several directions at once. They needed to get Dung out of the house. Kreacher could take care of that. Then there was the locket.

Harry had planned on being the one to destroy it. He had felt that since it was he that Dumbledore had taken so much trouble to prepare and educate about Riddle and the Horcruxes, that it should fall to him to destroy them all.

Looking at Ginny now and the effect the locket was having on her, now Harry wasn't so sure.

"Ginny?" He said softly, trying to get her attention.

A single tear formed in her eye and began trailing down her cheek. She didn't seem to notice it.

The sounds of Ron and Hermione talking excitedly were for the moment drowned out as Harry directed all of his attention on the girl he was coming to love so much.

"Ginny?" He said again louder this time.

She looked at him and then back at the locket again. She seemed drawn to it. Like it held her in it's sway and she could not let it go. Harry was starting to worry and knew that it was time to act and quickly.

"Kreacher," Harry said a little louder than he maybe should have.

Ron, Hermione, and the elf jumped. Even Ginny seemed to have her self induced trance broken as she jerked her head back in reaction to the sudden loud calling of Harry's elf.

"Master?" The elf said sweeping into a low bow.

"Kreacher," Harry said again in a calmer tone, "Would you please, er, take Mundungus and leave him near Hogsmeade village? You can return here when that's done,"

"Kreacher will comply with his master's request," The elf made to reach out to Dung but Hermione stopped him.

"Wait Kreacher, one moment please," She said aiming her wand at the man lying unconscious on the floor, "Obliviate,"

The spell was cast and Hermione then took a few minutes to describe to Dung how he'd been out walking off his latest drinking binge when he'd fallen and rolled down a hill where he hit his head and must have knocked himself out. She then went on to order Mundungus to forget that he'd seen Harry Potter, Kreacher, Ron, Ginny, and herself. Furthermore she ordered him to forget that he'd ever had the locket or been anywhere near Number Four, Privet Drive, Surrey.

When she was finished, Hermione nodded at Kreacher who sketched a kind of half nod back to her before moving forward and grabbing Dung by the scruff of his neck. With a pop the elf disapperated taking the still unconscious Mundungus Fletcher with him.

"That was a good idea, Hermione," Harry said, "At least that way it makes sure we're still protected while we're here,"

Smiling at the praise, she looked adoringly at Ron and Harry before turning her attention to the locket. Unlike Ginny, Hermione's eyes were inquisitive. Even curious.

"Are we sure that this one isn't a fake?" She asked the room at large.

"It's not," Ginny said quietly.

Turning to look at her, Harry could see that again she was staring at the locket. Her eyes riveted upon it like they were frozen there.

"What makes you say so?" Ron asked skeptically.

"Because I know it. I can feel it," Ginny said now, her voice almost a whisper.

Turning his own attention directly to the locket now, Harry examined it closely. There were some minor differences in the details of the locket in front of them versus the one he'd given Kreacher. Then he felt it. If his attention hadn't been on it, it would have been something he would have missed. There was a slight tug.

It was deeply seated inside his chest, but it was there. The tugging sensation got stronger as Harry moved in to take a closer look at the thing. He reached out gingerly and picked it up.

"Harry?" Ginny said, her voice now a pleading whisper.

Turning to look at her, he saw that face was pale and white. Unlike her usual self she now looked fearful, even scared.

"She's right," Harry confirmed with a grim nod, "This is the one we want,"

"So we're going to destroy it, right?" Ron asked.

"Of course we're going to destroy it, Ron," Hermione sounded a little flustered, "That's why we're looking for it."

"Well..." Harry said thinking fast, "_We_ aren't going to destroy this locket,"

All three of the other looked at him aghast. Their faces looked outraged, shocked, and full of disbelief.

"We're...we're not?" Ron asked.

"No. Ginny is,"

"Me?" Ginny asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes, You," Harry confirmed.

It had hit him all of a sudden. The look on her face, the fear in her voice. The anger, disgust, even rage in her eyes told him something. She was remembering the time she had been possessed by Riddle. The time he'd saved her in the Chamber of Secrets was long ago. She'd been little more than a girl then. Now she was nearly an adult. Harry realized deep down somehow that it needed to be Ginny who destroyed the locket.

Setting the locket back down on the table, Harry ran quickly out of the dining room. Moving down the hall, up the stairs, and into the room he shared with Ron, Harry picked up his moleskin bag. Opening it unceremoniously, he removed one of the Basilisk fangs.

Holding it up in front of his face, he could see the fang clearly. The curve of it. The wickedly sharp point. The dried venom encrusted just inside the hollow tip where it was injected into the monstrous creature's victims was visible. Harry smiled and then ran back downstairs.

Once back into the dining room, Harry was surprised to see that everyone was staring wide eyed at the locket on the table.

"What is it?" Harry asked slowly.

"It...it moved," Hermione said.

Just then the locket started shaking and rattling on the table. It started jumping around like water on a hot iron. Then it started emitting a strange humming noise.

He froze in place to stare at the locket. It must realize that we're about to destroy it, Harry thought.

Which made sense in an odd sort of way. If it held a portion of Voldemort's soul and it knew it was about to meet its demise, it would probably do everything within it's power to prevent that from happening. The question was, what was within it's power?

"Here," Harry said crossing over to where Ginny stood and gingerly handing her the fang.

She looked up from the agitatedly dancing locket with wide eyes and hesitantly took the proffered tooth from the large serpent.

"I...Harry...I...I don't think I can do this," Ginny said.

Again there was another tear in her eyes. Just as before it started falling down her cheek. This time instead of a tremble, the fang in her hand was shaking more violently. Almost as much as the locket was that the fang was intended to destroy.

"You have to, Ginny. I know it has to be you," Harry directed her towards the table and the locket started rattling and jumping around even more.

"No, I can't do it Harry. You do it, or have Ron kill it. I can't," She was crying now.

Not sobs, but tears were running down both cheeks. Harry took her face in his hands gently.

"You feel it pulling at you, don't you?" Harry asked looking her directly in the eyes.

Ginny's eyes widened and Harry nodded his head, "I feel it too. It's reaching out to you. Calling you. And you want to reach out for it and take it, don't you?"

Again she nodded her head and a fresh series of tears ran down her face.

"Don't you see, Ginny? That's why it has to be you. That's why you're the one who has to do it. Otherwise it wins. _He _wins. That isn't what you want, is it?"

"What's Harry saying?" Ron asked.

"Shh!" Hermione shushed Ron, intently watching the interaction between Ginny and Harry.

Harry ignored this as he waited for Ginny to reply to his question. He knew deep down that it had to be her to destroy the locket. She still battled demons that she carried since her first year because of what the possession had done to her and in turn made her do. They had talked about this. It was a kind of bond that only they two shared. Not even Ron or Hermione could claim this.

The locket on the table was rattling and gyrating even harder now. It was as if it sensed that its end was near. And so it was if Harry had his way about it. He knew that he'd destroy it himself if Ginny truly couldn't. However he also knew how vitally important it was for her to do this. He felt sure that if he were here Professor Dumbledore would agree without reservation.

"No, I don't want that," Ginny's voice was so silent that Harry barely heard it. He read her lips and knew what she'd said.

The rattling of the locket was now becoming a buzz sound, so violently was it moving.

"I'll open it. All you have to do is stab it with the fang. Do that, and its over. It will be that easy. I know, remember?" Harry gave her a humorless smile.

Ginny nodded her head again this time with a kind of conviction Harry wasn't sure she really felt. Nevertheless, he kissed her gently on the lips before letting go of her face and turning towards the locket.

The racket being made now by the locket was loud and unnerving. Harry could feel the locket pulling at him even now as he set forth resolutely and picked up the locket. He could barely hold on to it for all the moving about it was doing in his hands. Finally he was able to unfasten the catch. He was thrown bodily backwards and rammed with a bone smashing crash into the wall.

Dazed and feeling a little punch drunk, Harry looked up to see what looked like black clouds blooming rapidly out of the locket. It quickly filled the room and as it did so all light evaporated away.

All sense of happiness and hope left him as he once again heard the screams of a woman. Except like the effect of a Dementor, this was augmented by several orders of magnitude.

Then came the voice. _His_ voice from out of the gloom. Except that this time the voice was not talking to him, but to Ginny.

"_You think that you can kill me, Ginerva Weasley? Do you think that you have the courage to land upon me a fatal blow? I _know_ you. Your heart, your life, your very soul is _mine!"

Harry had to do something. He could just make out the others, Ron and Hermione, as they stared in horror at the events unfolding in front of them. They were huddled against the wall and the fear in their faces matched what Harry felt in his heart. The only thing more powerful than that fear at the moment was the love he felt towards Ginny. He had to help her.

"_I know the things that lie within your heart, Ginerva Weasley. That love that you carry for Harry Potter. What makes you think he might actually love you? What makes you think that he really cares? You're nothing to him. You're less than nothing. You're the little girl he rescued. You're the sister of his friend. You are nothing to him. You worry that his heart lies elsewhere and how right you are..."_

"Ginny! NO! DON'T LISTEN TO IT, GINNY! GINNY! I'M HERE! I'M HERE! YOU HAVE TO DO IT GINNY! YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM! DO IT! DO IT NOW!..."

Harry could barely hear his own voice and he was sure that if he could barely hear it, that the others couldn't hear it at all. His eyes found Ginny who was staring into the black cloud and the shapes within it. The horrific fear on her face was clearly visible. So was the pain. What the presence within the locket was saying was hitting home. He had to do something.

"_How could Harry Potter love a girl like you? Born last in a family who never had anything. A mother too tired to worry about her poor daughter. A father too entranced with his sons to care about his little girl. Brothers who secretly preferred another brother rather than a girl who would chase them and bother them._

_And then there's Harry Potter. You thought because he rescued you that maybe something might become of it? You thought if you told him your feelings that maybe he might return them? He laughs at you. He mocks you. You are nothing to him and will always be nothing to him! When you are gone he will move on. It will be as if you never existed. All this for a boy whose heart you never had."_

Lurching to his feet, Harry stumbled and staggered towards Ginny. He started waving his arms at her, trying to get her attention; "DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, GINNY! I'M HERE! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! HE'S TRYING TO GET INTO YOUR HEAD. DON'T LISTEN! GINNY WEASLEY I LOVE YOU!"

Harry screamed this last line at the top of his lungs. His throat, still raw and tender from events of days past, was now bleeding again. He could taste the salt of the blood in his mouth but didn't care.

Ginny had finally noticed him. Whether she heard him or saw his movement out of the corner of her eye, Harry didn't know. But when she looked at him her anguish and fear filled eyes took on a manic gleam. A rage born of a deep seated anger and sorrow. With a primal scream of her own, Ginny held up the fang and ran at the locket. She slammed the point down into it once, twice, and again.

"_NOOOO!"_ Came the shrill angry scream from the locket before the clouds exploded outward in a whirlwind of energy being released.

Then it the room was quiet. The locket was destroyed. It lay blackened and scorched on the now broken dining room table. Smoke rose in lazy tendrils from the mangled wreck of wood, metal, and jewels.

Turning to look at him, he heard Ginny say warily, "Harry?"

Her voice was a rasp; horse from the scream she'd made as she killed the Horcrux.

"Ginny," His own voice matched hers.

She stumbled forward into his outstretched arms and fell into them. Then she began to cry. Great wracking sobs that shook them both.

"It's over now. You did it. You did it," Harry whispered to her over and over.

Ron was helping Hermione off the dining room floor. His hands were shaking as bad as hers. Once they were both standing Ron pulled her into a bone breaking hug.

"What the Hell was that?" He asked no one in particular.

"It was Riddle. Or the part of him that lived in the locket anyway," Hermione's voice shook as bad as her trembling body. She looked over at Harry, "Is it over?"

"It's over," Harry replied, feeling the pain in his throat, "It's gone,"

"It...it was like it could hear everything in my heart. In my mind. It was like it was reading my thoughts," Ginny faltered.

"But it was wrong, you know that right?" Harry replied looking back at her as he tightened his hold around her.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him, tears still wet on her face.

Harry kissed her softly then but with feeling, "You aren't just anyone to me. You mean everything to me. You have my heart and you always will. Ginny Weasley, I love you,"


	17. The Dilemma

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**A/N- **So here it is, the long awaited next chapter. My apologies for taking so long to get this written and published. I won't bore with details but sufficient to say that I had a lot of personal stuff going on that has since been resolved.

While my writing and publishing schedule has been affected, my hope is that you won't have any more waits as long as this last one for the next chapter.

Thank you for your patience while I got things sorted out- I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

**Chapter 17**

That night the feeling in Number 4, Privet Drive was very different. No one wanted to be alone and no one really felt like talking. When Kreacher got back from dropping off Mundungus Fletcher, even he seemed to be a little different.

The first thing he did when he saw the destroyed locket lying on the table was to burst into tears; "Master Regulus, it's done. Your orders are have been carried out. Kreacher couldn't do it but now it is done..."

Not knowing what to do for him, the group left him in the kitchen to grieve. However Harry did remember to use the Basilisk fang to lift the locket off the table and to carry it outside to the back yard. Carefully he pulled up a flagstone on the back garden path and used magic to dig a deep hole. He dropped the locket into the bottom of the hole, then covered it up again with the soil he'd removed. The last thing he did was to tamp down the flagstone back on top of the hole.

When he was finished, he looked up to see the others watching him questioningly. Harry only shrugged and said, "I- er- I thought maybe it would be best if I buried it. No sense in leaving it around,"

The only response Harry received was a nod from Ginny. He realized that she more than anyone else would understand. Unlike the others, she too had once had a connection to Voldemort. Maybe now she could put that connection behind her, Harry thought.

Going back inside the house they found that Kreacher was going listlessly about making dinner. He was mumbling under his breath but since he was so dedicated about doing his task, Harry thought it best not to bother him.

No one seemed to want to talk, neither however did anyone seem to want to be alone. It was in the living room that they gathered. It had become their favorite place in the house. The kitchen held too many bad memories for Harry and there really wasn't anyplace else where they could all gather together in the same room.

He went in and sat down on the sofa only to be joined quickly by Ginny. Hermione and Ron followed too, but slowly. Looking around at everyone, Harry realized they looked as shaken up about the events surrounding the Horcrux as he felt.

Harry looked at Ginny directly and studied her face for a minute. Her eyes were large and round and there was a tremble about her that he didn't realize before. Then she sighed and the tears formed in her eyes.

Feeling very awkward and not at all sure what to do, he let her sit there and cry for a minute as he cast around for something to do, say, or whatever. Hermione's disproving glare caught his attention. There must be something he was missing that she thought he should be doing.

When her tears were joined first by a sniffle, then by a sob, Harry panicked. However when she leaned over on him and started to cry in earnest, he put his arms around her by reflex. He happened to see the glare on Hermione's face evaporate as soon as this happened. Then he realized it. Ginny needed to be held and comforted.

"Shh now, it's okay. It's over," Harry whispered to her.

He saw from the corner of his eye as Hermione took Ron by the elbow and left the room. Ginny continued to cry into Harry's chest while he held her close.

"You're alright now, It's over," Harry told her over and over.

After awhile the sobs slowed and the tears dried. She continued to remain curled up close to Harry and he continued to hold on to her.

"It...it's not over. Not yet," Ginny croaked.

"What do you mean? The Horcrux is gone," Harry said quietly.

"That one is, but there's more of them isn't there?"

The realization that he'd forgotten about those Horcruxes, at least for the moment, brought Harry up cold.

"Yes, there are," Harry started counting them off, "The diary, the ring, and now the locket are gone. We still need to find the other three. There's the cup, the diadem of Ravenclaw's, and the snake,"

"Are...they going to be like that? Like the locket was?"

Harry knew immediately what it was that Ginny was referencing; "I don't know,"

Ginny looked up at Harry again. There was deep feeling there. Love, certainly. But there was more. It made him uncomfortable to see it in her eyes of all people when he recognized the expression because it was so out of place on Ginny's face; it was awe.

"And you have to be the one to find them, don't you," It was a statement as much as it was a question.

"This is what Dumbledore wanted. With the Horcruxes gone, then Voldemort can be killed,"

"I don't know how you can do it. That was so..." The thought went unfinished.

"Ginny, look, those things that you heard in the Horcrux, you know that none of it was true, don't you?"

"I-I guess so," She mumbled.

"What do you mean, you guess so?"

"Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder if Mum really wouldn't have been happier with another son, you know? I know Dad doesn't feel like he knows how to handle things with me a lot of the time, so he just leaves it to Mum,"

"Your family loves you, you know that. When everything happened in second year, they were frantic,"

"I know,"

"Then what is it?"

"I love you Harry," She said quietly, but plainly.

"I know that. I love you too,"

"Thank you, Harry. I needed to hear that. And I know that you are aware of the fact I love you. What I'm not so sure of, is whether or not you know how very, very much I love you," She sighed and Harry remained quiet for a minute.

"It's kind of funny, isn't it?"

"I don't think it's funny. I don't think it's funny at all," Harry replied with feeling.

She turned into Harry and looked up into his eyes. Harry wasn't sure what she wanted in that moment with her eyes still wet and her voice still croaky from crying the way she was.

However Ginny knew. She leaned up and touched her lips to his. At first it was as gentle as a feather's touch. Then she leaned in and kissed him again this time with a little more behind it.

Feeling very confused and unsure of things in that moment, Harry just went with the flow of things. Very soon after deciding to do this, he forgot why he was feeling confused in the first place. He very nearly forgot where he was entirely.

The next day was very different. After the wild and hectic events of the day before, everyone agreed that that needed a day off to just rest and relax. Ron even tried turning on the television but quickly turned it off again when the fast paced narrator of some commercial came on and started yelling at him with a blast of musical fanfare.

Both Harry and Hermione found this to be very humorous and even Ginny smiled though she was just as startled as her brother was.

"Bloody Hell," Ron said grumpily, "Thing's a menace. How do muggles do it?"

"They're used to it, Ron," Hermione smiled at him before breaking down in another fit of laughter.

Kreacher, whose overall mood had improved drastically since the destruction of the locket, made feasts for meals. There was nothing lacking; soups, breads, puddings, meats, cheeses, fruits, pies, tarts, vegetables, assorted drinks, cakes, and all sorts of other things put in an appearance at their meals that day.

Ron, who had always appreciated having ready access to food, even commented that it was very nearly like being at Hogwarts with the quantity and quality of what he was being served.

The elf had also changed his attitude towards them as well after he had heard about how the Horcrux was destroyed. He held Harry and Ginny in near reverence and his respect for Ron and Hermione had grown exponentially as well.

Hermione particularly was quite surprised at this given Kreacher's many years of hating Muggleborns or anyone who had anything to do with them.

"It's like there's a whole new elf in Kreacher's body," Ron commented between mouthfuls of steak and kidney pie.

"Ron, he's been through a terrible ordeal. It's bound to have left its mark on him," Hermione replied.

"Whatever it is, I'm not complaining," Ron said back.

Ginny gave Ron a dirty look; "You try having him bow and scrape every time you go near him,"

"He did that already," Ron answered.

"Yes, but not like he does now. It's annoying. I don't need anyone treating me like royalty. I liked it fine the way he was before,"

"If that's the case, then why haven't you said anything to him about it?" Hermione asked.

"Because if you do, it really hurts his feelings. I know, I tried. It took him an hour to stop crying when I asked him to tone down the constant bowing and all that," Harry said shaking his head.

"He means well," Hermione was becoming defensive, "You can't blame him for being happy that the last thing Regulus asked him to do has been done after all these years,"

"I know he does," Harry sighed in defeat, "And I get that he's happy now. I just wish...never mind," Harry looked grumpily out the window.

Ginny smiled a little and then looked out the window herself. A few minutes later, she asked; "How do you reckon things are going out there?"

"Out where?" Ron wanted to know.

"Out there, in the Wizarding World. At school and everywhere else,"

"I don't know," Harry answered, "But we still have the other Horcruxes to find and destroy, so I'm sure we'll find out soon enough,"

"The cup, the snake, and the thing of Ravenclaw's," Ron counted on his fingers.

"Her Diadem," Hermione corrected absently.

"Ravenclaw's Diadem, then. Where do you think they'll be?"

"Well, we know that You-Know-Who is seldom without his pet," Hermione answered.

"And Harry saw the Diadem at Hogwarts," Ginny added.

"And the cup is at Gringotts, but not for long. He was going to move it,"

"Do you think he has?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, Ron. I haven't seen anything since that last time,"

"Why do you think that is?" Ron asked.

"Ron! Dumbledore didn't want Harry seeing into You-Know-Who's mind. If Harry hasn't seen anything, that's a good thing!"

"Is it though?" Ron asked thoughtfully, "It is Bloody scary and all, but you have to admit, it's been right useful too,"

"How can you say that, Ron? You've seen Harry when he's seeing into You-Know-Who's mind, it hurts him!" Hermione shrieked.

Ginny and Harry sat back and watched the byplay between Ron and Hermione quietly. They both had their own feelings about it though neither one of them said anything to share them.

After hearing what Ron had said about seeing into Voldemort's mind as being useful, Harry started thinking back on it. The experience had been agonizing and horrific to be sure. But they had also learned an awful lot too.

Like the fact that there was a Horcrux at Gringotts that would be moved. Or that one of them was at Hogwarts. Or a lot of other things about how Voldemort dealt with his Death Eaters.

Harry then realized something else; he'd not seen into Voldemort's mind in some time. The last couple times had been memorable to say the least, but why would the connection stop now? Had Voldemort discovered it and cut it off?

An idea came to Harry in that moment that made his mind spin with the possibilities of it. He knew that Hermione would be livid if she even suspected it, but what if he could make his own connection into Voldemort's mind?

So far it had only happened when Voldemort was really mad. What about if Harry wanted to make it happen? Could he? What kind of information would he get? What other kinds of things would he see?

As tempting as the idea was to try out and see what would happen, Harry's enthusiasm was tempered by the effects that had come out of his previous contacts with Voldemort's mind; he'd get sick and his head would hurt. Neither of these things were something that Harry was anxious to repeat. However it was very tempting.

His thoughts were turned back to the conversation at hand when Ginny nudged him in the ribs, "Err...sorry. What was that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and Ron just shook his head. Then Hermione patiently and patronizingly asked; "So, what do you think we should do next, Harry?"

"Find another Horcrux," He answered simply.

Ginny snorted and Ron stifled a grin. Hermione however was beginning to look very annoyed.

"Yes, I know that. To be more specific, which Horcrux do you think we should look for next?"

That was a good question, Harry thought. The snake would be with Voldemort. It went without saying that it would have to be the last one that they went after. But what about the other two? One was in Hogwarts, he knew that much. The other was in Gringotts, or was supposed to be.

"I don't know, Hermione," Harry said quietly.

"What do you mean that you don't know?"

"Last time I saw anything, they were all in places that it will be nearly impossible to get them out of,"

"We got the locket, that was in a hard place to get out of,"

"Yeah but the locket was stuck in a cave by the sea," Ron said.

"And if the other Horcruxes are still where I saw them last, then they'll be much more difficult to get," Harry added, "Unless you know of some way that we can get into Hogwarts or Gringotts without being seen,"

Hearing this last bit brought Hermione up short. She knew as well as Harry did that there was no easy answers to that question.

"Besides," Harry went on, "We don't even know if the Horcruxes are still there. Voldemort could have moved them by now,"

"Do you think he might have?" Ron asked.

"It's possible, I don't know," Harry replied feeling exasperated.

"It's too bad that we don't have a way to find out,"

"What do you mean, Ron?" Asked Ginny.

"Well, it would make it a lot easier to go after the Horcruxes if we knew where You-Know-Who moved them to, or if he moved them at all, wouldn't it?"

Hermione looked at the group and then posed a question that had been on all their minds in one way or another; "Do we try and make contact with someone?"

"Who with, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Professor Lupin maybe? Or what about Bill? Either one of them might know something," She offered.

"There's Professor McGonagall too," Ginny added thoughtfully, "She'd know what's going on,"

"But how do we get her attention? It's the middle of the school year right now. She'll be at Hogwarts and you can bet that the school will be guarded by Death Eaters," Ron said.

"Then what about Professor Lupin or Bill? We could try and contact them, couldn't we?" Ginny prompted.

Harry watched her as she argued her point. She misses having the other people around, he thought.

"Ginny," Hermione answered patiently, "We don't know where Professor Lupin lives, or even where he is now,"

"We know where Bill lives," Ginny answered back.

"Do we? Since when? He and Fleur hadn't moved in together before the wedding. Did you talk to him and not say anything?"

"No," Ginny's face fell.

"Then how do you know where he lives, Ginny?" Harry asked gently.

"I was thinking we could maybe go back to Grimmauld Place and talk to Mum and Dad. You know, to see if they've been to his house or something,"

"Ginny, we just left there. Are you wanting to go back?" Hermione asked kindly.

Nodding her head, Ginny answered; "Not to stay or anything. Just to...you know...see how they're doing,"

No one said anything for a very long time. Since they'd arrived at Number Four, Privet Drive and sent the message that they were okay, nothing else had been said. There had been no communication and for a very good reason. It was for the safety of everyone involved.

Ron looked deeply conflicted. He knew as well as anyone else the importance of not involving anyone other than themselves in the hunt for the Horcruxes. It also made perfect sense that he would want to see his family.

Harry and Hermione traded a look as they watched the two siblings look longingly out the window as if they were looking in the direction of home. Sure Harry wanted to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and know that they were okay. He just knew that it wouldn't do any good if they did.

Seeing Bill however was another matter entirely. He worked for Gringotts bank as a curse breaker. He might very well know a way into and out of the goblin owned bank that the group could possibly make use of. The question was how to contact him and do so without putting him in any danger?

The afternoon was spent going over some of the ideas he'd come up with that day, watching Ginny, and listening to Ron and Hermione as they talked back and forth about the merits of the idea of contacting someone outside their little group.

He knew that Ginny missed her family terribly. This whole ordeal was probably hardest on her, Harry thought. It was a last minute thing for her to join them in the first place, she had joined them on a split decision, and while she probably didn't want to leave the group, Harry was sure that there were some decisions that she might second guess if the opportunity came up. He asked her about it not long after dinner as they were winding things down for the evening.

"Do you regret joining us?" He asked carefully.

She gave him a suspicious look before answering, "No, not at all. Why?"

"It's just that...well...it was pretty obvious that you want to go find Bill and I know you miss your family,"

"Sure I miss my family," Ginny said, then added quietly, "I'd miss you even more if I were with them,"

"You would?" Harry asked uncertainly.

She nodded her head and then scooted closer to Harry at the kitchen counter where he stood, "Yes, I would. These past weeks, you know, being with you, it's been like nothing else,"

"I'm sure it has," Harry replied sardonically.

"I'm serious,"

"What do you mean?"

"I feel like...like we've finally gotten a chance to get to know each other. You know, outside of school and without my Mum and Dad around. We've been able to talk and I've feel like I've gotten to know the real you..."

"And?" Harry asked suddenly feeling very uncertain.

Slowly and deliberately, Ginny took Harry into her arms and smiled when he put his arms around her back. She leaned in and touched her head gently to his and said just loudly enough for him to hear; "I really like the person I've gotten to know. I like him enough to want all of this to hurry up and end so that maybe we can have time to do fun things and not be on the run all the time..."

She kissed Harry then, which he returned willingly. It was in this kind of embrace that Ron and Hermione found them when they walked into the kitchen. Ron cleared his throat loudly.

"If you two don't mind," Ron growled.

"It was a private conversation until just now," Ginny growled back.

"Do you two have to snog each other all the time? It's just...not proper!" Ron looked indignant.

Ginny snorted rudely and Ron's ears went red. Harry noticed that Hermione's ears were pink and he wondered absently if she was embarrassed at having walked him and Ginny kissing, or Ron's comment about it.

He himself was a little irritated with his best mate, so when Ginny commented that he didn't care nearly so much about being proper when it came to snogging last year, he had to suppress a snort of his own.

The only reason Harry didn't laugh was the look of pain that suddenly flashed across Hermione's features. He knew that if Ginny saw it or knew about it, she'd be mortified, however Ginny's eyes were on the floor as she brushed past her brother and friend on her way out of the kitchen.

When Hermione saw Harry looking at her, she quickly looked away. He wanted to ask her about it but now was clearly not the time.

"Did you want to talk about something, Ron?" Harry asked.

He could hear a bit of his irritation in his tone but frankly didn't care. His mind was in the other room with Ginny. At the moment he would a lot rather be kissing her and forgetting things for awhile than discussing more about all the things they had yet to do.

"Well, yeah. I did actually," Ron said with a defensive tone,

"Go on then,"

"We were wondering..." Ron began.

"...About contacting someone on the outside," Hermione finished.

"Like who? Bill?"

"Bill is one idea," Ron said looking at the floor.

"There _are_ other members of the Order. What about trying to contact one of them?"

"Who were you thinking of?" Harry asked.

"There's Professor McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and I'm sure there's got to be more we don't know about,"

"What about the D.A.?" Ron asked.

Both Harry and Hermione looked at him in surprise. Ron's ears turned red again and he looked at both of them uncertainly, "Well, one of them is bound to know something, aren't they? There's Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Cho..."

"NOT Cho," Ginny said coming back into the room.

Hermione looked at Harry knowingly and he knew that she was aware that he echoed Ginny's feelings about not contacting certain people. Like Dean Thomas for instance.

"Okay, not Cho then. But what about the rest of them? Could we try and contact one of them?"

"It's the middle of school, Ron. How would you suggest we get in contact with any of them?" Harry asked feeling more than a little frustrated.

"With this," Ron held up his hand.

Inside his hand was the enchanted fake Galleon that the D.A. had used to communicate their meetings with back in fifth year. Harry's eyes opened wide in surprise and he looked at his best mate feeling stunned.

"Ron, you're..."

"Brilliant!" Hermione beamed.

Ron's face, neck, and ears all flushed crimson as he smiled at everyone in the room. Even Ginny looked impressed as she went to stand next to Harry at the counter again.

"So, how do we do this?" She asked.

"Do what?" Ron wanted to know.

"How do we contact them? Do we arrange a meeting? Do we try and visit them?" Ginny explained.

"We should arrange a meeting somewhere," Harry said.

"Like where?" Ron asked.

"The Three Broomsticks?" Ginny suggested.

"The Hogs Head!" Said Ron.

"The Leaky Cauldron?" From Harry.

"Those are great ideas but if things are as dangerous out there as we've heard, they won't work," Hermione replied.

"Then where would you suggest?" Ron asked.

"It's obvious, isn't it? We need to meet somewhere where the Death Eaters won't think to look for us," She answered.

"And where would that be?"

"Simple, Ron. At the Burrow. It's easy enough to find the Burrow after the Prophet posted that story about how it burned down," Hermione smiled at her idea and the others looked at her dumbstruck.

"The Burrow?" Ginny looked suddenly uncomfortable.

"Well...sure. Why not?"

"Hermione, that was our home," Ron said looking a little affronted.

"I know that, and since the Death Eaters burned it down, it's vacant. That's why no one will think to look for us there!"

Even Harry, who had stayed at the Burrow plenty of times over the last six years, felt a little uncomfortable with holding a meeting at the burned out home that used to be the Burrow. He could only imagine how Ginny and Ron felt about it. Hermione however didn't seem to think that it was anything to get in a twist about.

"Er...Hermione, is there, um, anyplace else that you can think of?" Ginny asked.

"What's wrong with the Bur...oh. I understand. I'm really very sorry. I didn't stop to think how awkward it might be for you to go back there after it was burned down," Hermione looked thoroughly chagrined.

It really wasn't like Hermione to forget something like that, Harry thought. This whole business with the Horcruxes must be having more of an effect on her than she wants to let on. While Hermione was trying to think of where else they might try to set up a meeting with the other members of the DA, Harry watched her.

He could tell that she was really putting a lot of effort into trying to come up with something, anything, that would work. She seemed to be at a loss however. Finally after several moments, her face fell, "I'm sorry, I can't think of anything,"

"Let's just meet at the Burrow," Ron sighed in resignation.

Ginny simply nodded her head in agreement. She caught Harry's eye and looked pointedly at Hermione before looking back at him. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who noticed that she was acting a little differently.

"If you say so," Hermione said looking a little sheepish.

She took out her coin and prepared to give the incantation when she looked up, "We're meeting at the Burrow, but when? We don't even really know what day it is," She said.

"That's easy," Harry said going into the living room and turning on the TV.

He turned down the volume and changed through a few channels until he found one he wanted. Then he sat back to watch.

"What are you doing, Harry?" Ginny asked as she followed him into the living room.

The clarity of the picture degraded as she entered the room for a second before going back to normal. Harry smiled as he remembered that magic affected things like electricity.

"In a few minutes the news will come on. When it does, they'll give the date. Then we'll know when we can set up the meeting for," Harry replied.

"Should we go and look at it first?" Ron asked as he entered the room with Hermione just a step behind him.

The picture again went fuzzy for a couple second and then started to recover but this time it didn't get all the way back to a nice, clear picture. Every now and again the screen would give a strange kind of flicker, get fuzzy, then recover again.

"That's a good idea," Harry answered him.

"Do you really think anyone will be there?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Harry shrugged, "But I don't think it would be a good idea to ask the DA to go to a meeting only to find it crawling with Death Eaters,"

"You've got a point," Ron conceded.

"So when do we go and check it out?" Ron asked.

"Y-you don't have to go, Ron. I'll understand if you don't want to," Harry said quietly.

"No, I'm alright. I'm not saying I'll like it, but..."

"Should we all go?" Ginny asked.

Harry was torn. He knew that she and Hermione would want to get out and look around just as much as he did. However the last they heard, things were really bad out there. If they were caught...Harry didn't want to even think about it.

"Maybe this should be just Ron and I," Harry said.

"Or just Ginny and I," Hermione said as she stepped forward.

"Too right, Hermione. I seem to remember what happened when you lot went to look around Hogsmeade and nearly got killed," Ginny agreed.

"So you think that you and Hermione should go and have a look around, is that it?" Ron said mockingly.

Both Hermione and Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously and Harry knew that Ron had just put his foot in it. When he opened his mouth to speak, both girls turned on him and Ginny snarled, "Don't even say it!"

Harry held up his hands and closed his mouth again just as fast as he'd opened it. The TV started flickering angrily now and as it did the two girls became more and more angry. Ron looked like he suddenly regretted making his comment but Harry still felt like he could kick him.

Things had been going fine until Ron had opened his mouth, now both girls were angry. It would be awhile before they calmed down enough to want to talk. Sure enough, Hermione said icily; "Ginny, I don't about you, but I think it's time I went to bed,"

"I couldn't agree with you more, Hermione. Let's go,"

Together the two young women turned and left the room in a huff. Harry looked over at Ron and watched as his best mate shrugged guiltily, "Sorry,"

Harry could only sigh, "Come on, Ron. Let's go to bed. I don't think we're going to get anything solved here tonight,"

The two friends went upstairs to get ready for bed. As they got to the top of the stairs, the two girls could be heard behind the closed door of the bedroom they shared talking. From the sounds of the conversation, the discussion was animated. Harry was sure it had something to do with them and the subjects that had come up that night.

"Ron, you know sometimes you really ought to think before you speak," Harry grumbled.

"Me? What about you?" Ron replied back sounding irritated.

"What do you mean, me?" Harry asked feeling his temper starting to flare.

"I seem to remember you saying that it should just be you and me going to look at the Burrow first for this stupid meeting,"

"Yeah, I did. So what about it? Do you think that I want to take a chance that they go to the Burrow and get hurt?" Harry asked.

"Do you think that's what I want? I don't want to see them hurt anymore than you do,"

"If that's they way you feel about it, then why not say that instead of making it sound like they can't take care of themselves?" Harry's voice was near shouting now.

Ron's ears were bright crimson which was always a bad sign. His eyes were bright and he looked like he had a lot more that he wanted to say. Then, suddenly he exhaled in a sigh; "You're right,"

The abrupt change in demeanor took Harry off his guard. He looked both fearful and depressed. He looked at Harry and asked suddenly; "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Harry's mind was reeling, Ron was starting to look quite upset now.

"Girls,"

"What do you mean, 'girls?'"

"You snogged Cho Chang. You snog Ginny all the time,"

"What's your point? You snogged Lavender Brown. Quite frequently too," Harry was trying to figure out the direction of Ron's thoughts though he thought he was beginning to get the idea.

This however was the wrong thing to say. Ron went from looking angry, to upset very quickly.

Still feeling irritated over the argument they'd been having, it took Harry a moment to calm down enough to ask, "Hermione?"

Ron looked at Harry for a long, quiet moment before nodding his head slightly.

"You haven't kissed her yet," Again Ron nodded his head slightly then looked out the window.

Harry shut off the lights and got into his bed. He could see by the light of the moon coming in through the window as it shined with a grey blue light on the floor and reflected a little off their faces. Ron's eyes in that light looked almost eerie.

"I see you and Ginny and I know that you're both happy," Ron said quietly.

"Yeah,"

"And I want that too, but, you know, with Hermione,"

"I know that," Harry said.

"You do?"

"It's not hard to figure out. You've said before that you like her. How come you haven't...you know, tried to..."

Ron said something under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said, I'm not sure how to go about it," Ron's voice was so quiet that Harry barely heard it.

"But...you kissed Lavender, didn't you? What's the difference?" Harry was a little confused.

"It's not that I don't know _how_ to kiss her," Ron clarified, "It's that I'm not sure how to let her that I'd, y-you know, like to,"

Harry realized he should have seen this coming. He and Ginny didn't make much of a secret of it when they took some time for themselves. It only made sense that sooner or later Ron would want to try and move things forward with Hermione. The problem was, he couldn't really remember who kissed who with either Cho or Ginny. Both times it just kind of happened. That wasn't going to help Ron much however.

Taking a deep breath, Harry thought about things for a moment before saying;

"Ron, if you want to kiss Hermione, ask her,"

He snorted derisively, "That would go over well, wouldn't it? Hey Hermione, I fancy you, can I have a kiss? I don't see her liking that much,"

"Not when you do it like that,"

"So how would you do it then?"

"With Ginny it just kind of happened,"

"I know, I was there," Ron answered evenly.

"What I mean is, it's not like we planned it. I came into the room and the team had just won the Quidditch match but I wasn't there for it. So when it happened, it was completely not something I expected,"

"But it still happened," Ron complained, "I would love it if something like that could happen for me with Hermione,"

"So, make it happen," Harry replied.

"How?" Ron was frustrated, it could be heard in his voice.

"I don't know, Ron. They're bound to go out to the Burrow, maybe when they get back? Just tell her you're happy to see her and see what happens..."

"Do you think it will work?"

"I don't know, maybe," Harry sighed; he fervently hoped that this would put an end to the conversation.

Nothing more was said for a long time. Harry was lying in bed with his hands behind his head letting his mind wander. Every now and again he'd see a shadow pass in the light from the window as the night wore on.

Ginny and Hermione were going to go and look at the Burrow to see if it would be a safe place to meet with the DA. They needed to find out what was going on in the world outside. More, they needed to know how bad things were and how dangerous it would be to contact Bill and see how they could get into Gringotts.

Of course if there were some other way to find out if the Horcrux was still there, that would make things much easier. If they knew it was there, then they could maybe plan a way to get into Gringotts and get it out.

The thing was all of the best information they'd received since the wedding had come from the times when Harry was seeing through the eyes of Voldemort and that was something he'd not done in a while. He was curious as to why. That curiosity led his mind towards the next thought, what if he could do it? What if he could find a way to see into Voldemort's mind when he wanted to instead of when he was just angry.

How would he do it though? Every time it happened before, it had just happened. Harry hadn't done anything to cause it. He spent the next couple minutes thinking about the times he'd seen into Voldemort's mind before. It had been very painful but besides that, what did it feel like? Could he make it happen again?

"It would feel really nice I bet," Ron said quietly from out of nowhere.

"No it wouldn't," Harry answered automatically.

He had forgotten for a moment what it was that he and Ron had been talking about just a short time before.

"What?" Ron's voice was loud and startled Harry.

"Er, Sorry Ron," Harry backpedaled quickly, "I was thinking about something else,"

"What were you thinking about?" Ron asked grumpily.

"Er...never mind that. You were saying?" Harry winced at the false sense of interest he heard in his voice.

Ron must have heard it too because he grumbled under his breath before saying quietly, "I bet it would feel really nice...you know...to kiss her,"

The last part was said so quietly Harry wasn't sure he heard it at all. He didn't know what to say. Next to Ron, Hermione was his oldest and closest friend. That was it though. They were just friends. Harry had never had any interest in being any more than that with her and he was certain she felt the same way. So the thought of kissing her had never entered his mind.

He couldn't even think of anything to compare it to because the only person he had kissed, really kissed, was Ginny. He really didn't think that Ron wanted to hear anything about that and Harry certainly wasn't going to tell him.

"I don't know, Ron. I've never thought about it," Harry said carefully.

Ron mumbled something in response but before he could answer, the soft sounds of light snores came from the next bed. Harry had taken so long in thinking about how to answer Ron that his best mate had fallen asleep. He was grateful for that. At least it would end the conversation about Ron kissing Hermione.

As Harry closed his eyes to try and go to sleep himself, he let his mind wander back to the thoughts of how he might try and see into Voldemort's mind. He had to admit that the idea had it's merits; not that anyone else would see them. But if he could just see into what Voldemort's thoughts were, then he could maybe tell where the other Horcruxes were and then they could set out to do something about them.

Like other times when he had started drifting off to sleep, his mind kept working and before long he had a sense like he was flying over the English countryside. It was dark and gloomy over the hills and moors. There were forests shrouded in foggy mists and the air had a dank, wet feel to it.

As he flew over the countryside in his mind's eye, he came to a great estate. It was surrounded by hedgerows and a stone wall that was secured by a wrought iron gate. White peacocks strutted around the grounds and on top of the hedgerows.

Harry flew through the Hedgerows and the grounds and into a large manor house. Once inside the house with large, spacious rooms and ornate decorations on the walls and floors, sparse furnishings and a very cold, formal feel, Harry felt that he was coming to something important.

There was a sense of foreboding as he swept through the house and towards a large, black door that was set near the corner of a back room. He could see the tail of a large serpent disappearing through the door.

As Harry came to the door he was fully prepared to burst through it like the ghosts at school went through the walls and floors. So it was with a great sense of shock that he came to a sudden and abrupt halt. He couldn't move through the door.

He started to wonder what was going on. Then he felt that he couldn't turn. The door in front of him ceased to exist. Now he was in a void. A black, soundless, void where his senses of sight, hearing, touch, and smell were useless.

Not knowing what was going on, Harry started trying to get out of the void. He struggled and did everything he could to escape. As his efforts continued to become more and more urgent, he started to wonder; what if he never got out.

Starting to panic now, Harry did everything he could think of. He tried casting spells with his mind. He tried back tracking through the darkness. He tried shouting for help. When nothing worked, and with all of his efforts to escape the void failed, Harry really panicked. The last thing he did before blacking out totally was scream. The only thing was, who was there to hear him?


	18. Love's binding hold

**Disclaimer-** J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

**Author's Note- **It is with no small degree of thought and hard decision making that I have to make this announcement. This story, and my other fan fiction story in progress, Twilight; New Moon, will be put on hiatus until further notice.

To those of you following this story, please rest assured that it will be finished. I promise you that. However, due to some recent changes in my life, I no longer have the time to write that I once had and having three stories to work on all at the same time is proving to be a little bit too much for me to undertake at this time.

I will be spending my writing time for the near future working on an original work of mine, currently posted on *writer name Gotimtim if you're interested*. When that story is finished, I will then return to this one and complete it.

While I know that there are those who would see this story finished first, please know that when I do return to writing on this story- it will be with my full attention. This will also mean that it will be with more regular updates instead of every month or every other month or so which is the schedule I'm publishing at right now. This is the silver lining to the cloud I've been writing under for the last several months.

Until we meet again, I bid you good health, and good reading. I'd love to know your thoughts on this latest chapter.

**Chapter 18**

Ginny's eyes opened and she knew in that moment two things. That she was wide awake and that something was terribly, terribly wrong. How she was aware of that she didn't know, she only knew that something bad had happened.

Glancing out of the windows she saw that the sun was coming up. Normally she'd be one for sleeping in a little bit. That wouldn't be the case today however. Even the thick, grey clouds in the sky lent and air of foreboding.

Quickly she went through the events of the day before in her mind and as she did her thoughts turned towards Harry. Sure, he'd made a comment that had irritated her a little bit but that was nothing compared to the comment made by her stupid brother.

Just when things between he and Hermione had seemed to be moving forward a little (thankfully) he'd said something that had really upset her and now it felt like there was a bit of a setback.

Those two need to just be alone for a couple hours, talk, definitely kiss, and work things out. That would solve a lot of their problems, Ginny thought as she got dressed.

Looking over at her still sleeping friend, Ginny smiled. Hermione was as smart as they came. Smarter than any other student in school that Ginny knew of even, but when it came to matters of her own heart, she was as clueless as any third year boy. The whole situation between her and Ron was proof enough of that. This turned Ginny's mind back to the man who occupied her own thoughts.

Harry. She had to admit that her feelings for him were much stronger now than they ever were before. Strong enough that she felt a kind of iron bond with him. A bond that nothing could break. Her heart swelled at just the thought of him. However for all her feelings for Harry, she still couldn't shake loose the growing suspicion that something was drastically wrong. Could it be him?

Dressing quickly and quietly so as not to wake Hermione, Ginny stole down the hallway and to the room he and Ron shared. Quietly, as she had done many times before over the years, Ginny cracked open the door to the room. However unlike the sight that had previously greeted her so many times, this one was much more horrific.

Lying there with his mouth open in a ghastly, silent scream, was Harry. His eyes were open and staring at the ceiling but they were vacant. There was no life in them. His chest wasn't rising and falling with the breaths he took. His skin was chalky white.

A sense of dread flooded through her body as panic started. Was he dead?

"HARRY!" Ginny cried as she tore into the room and leapt up onto his bed.

"HARRY NO! PLEASE NO!" Her voice was raw from the volume of it.

Ron bolted upright in bed and was reaching for his wand when he looked at his sister. Absently, Ginny could hear Hermione as she came running down the hall.

"Ginny?" Ron asked fearfully.

Then he was silent as his eyes fell on his friend and the obvious was clear. There was something very wrong with Harry.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione's concerned voice called from the door as she appeared looking for any sign of trouble.

Moving around the bed to where Ginny and now Ron were roughly shaking Harry trying to get him to wake up. What she saw when she looked at her best friend was something far different than she had expected. It brought a lump to her throat and a knot to her stomach.

"Hermione," Ginny sobbed, "It's Harry,"

"Is...Is he…dead?" Ron asked uncertainly.

With a desperation that fueled her actions, Hermione, hands shaking and heart pounding, reached forward and tried to ascertain what was wrong with her friend.

"Please God, no! Don't let him be dead," She cried under her breath.

When she touched his skin, Hermione did a double take. It wasn't cold and clammy like she knew a dead person's would be. Harry's was still warm to the touch. She picked up his wrist and tried checking for a pulse thankful for the swimming lessons she'd taken as a child and the first aid skills it had taught her.

For two heart wrenching minutes she kept searching for a heartbeat until finally, mercifully, she felt something. At first she wasn't sure what it was, only an occasional, la-lump. Then a few seconds later another one. Then another, and another, and another. Timing them she found that it was every five seconds or so that she felt it.

"He has a heartbeat, so he's not dead," Hermione said roughly, trying to maintain some control of her voice, "But beyond that I don't know anything,"

The relief that Ginny felt was as profound as it was short lived. So he wasn't dead but what was wrong with him?

"Harry?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"I don't think he can hear you," Hermione said quietly.

"He looks like you did when you were petrified, Hermione," Ron observed.

"He what?" Hermione asked.

Her tone made it clear that she'd not yet forgiven Ron for his comment from earlier in the evening. Ron however seemed oblivious to this as he answered her.

"In second year, remember? When you were petrified by that Basilisk that Harry killed…"

"Yes, I remember second year, Ronald," Hermione said evenly.

Ron shook his head not wanting to carry the conversation on any further, "Forget I mentioned it,"

"What do we do for Harry?" Ginny asked, already tired of the couple's continued arguing.

"I don't know, Ginny," Hermione sighed heavily.

Her face was losing color and it was clear she was scared. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and stared at her friend. Ginny climbed off of Harry and together the three of them stood and stared at him.

"I wonder what happened." Ron asked quietly.

He reached out and gently put his hand on Harry's arm as if to seek reassurance that he was still alive.

"I don't know, Ron. I wish I did," Hermione answered him in a softer tone.

Ron looked at Hermione. Ginny could see his face but couldn't read his expression. In that moment she didn't care. Her thoughts were centered on Harry and what could be done for him. For several long moments the three of them stood and stared down at Harry as he remained there, eyes staring unblinkingly at the ceiling.

"Do we call Kreacher?" Ron asked quietly.

"What could Kreacher do?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he knows something," Ron answered sounding very scared.

"Or how to find someone who does!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, "Ron, you're a genius!"

Ron's face colored but Hermione was oblivious to it as she ran past him out of the room.

"Kreacher! Kreacher, we need you!" Ginny could hear Hermione calling the elf as she ran downstairs.

Standing there looking torn between staying with Harry and following after Hermione, Ron paused for a minute. Ginny heard him muttering under his breath something that sounded like, "…if you pull through this mate, I'm going to kill you."

He looked at his sister who returned his gaze only for a second before turning her eyes back on Harry. When Ron left the room, Ginny got back onto the bed with Harry.

She had never stopped crying since she'd first seem him lying there, looking so helpless and alone. Now she arranged herself awkwardly so that she was holding Harry in her arms.

His head was precariously placed so that it was lying on her chest. They faced the same direction which made it a little easier for Ginny to wrap her arms around Harry's chest, kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear.

Not able to bare seeing him so helpless, Ginny closed her eyes as she softly spoke the things that were in her heart. The things that she hadn't been able to tell anyone. Not her mother, or Hermione, or Harry, or even herself. These were the deepest secrets she carried about herself and her feelings for Harry. Her hopes, her dreams, and her fears.

She refused to let go even when the position became first uncomfortable and then unbearable. She held on tightly as she kept talking to him and professing her undying love for him. The love that had started at first sight one September morning when a young boy had politely asked for help onto a train platform and had grown in leaps and bounds every day since.

"I love you, Harry. Come back to me, my love. Harry, come back. Don't leave me here without you. I love you, please come back to me,"

Ginny was repeating this over and over when she opened her eyes to see Kreacher standing there looking at her as she held Harry. Behind him stood Ron and Hermione. She knew it had been a while since Ron and Hermione left the room. She had no idea how long they'd been standing there before she'd noticed them. She didn't really care. All that mattered to her in that moment was the person in her arms.

While the elf's eyes were curious and concerned, it was impossible to miss the fear in the eyes of the other two. Ginny knew that it would match the fear in her own.

"Master?" Kreacher asked reaching out to Harry.

There was no response.

"Master, Kreacher is here,"

"I don't know if he can hear you," Hermione whispered from behind him.

"Master is good and helped Kreacher obey his orders. Kreacher will help his master,"

"How can you help him?" Ron asked.

Ginny heard the terror in Ron's voice. This entire day was only just begun and already it felt like the worst of nightmares. She noticed that Ron and Hermione were both still in their bedclothes looking rumpled and disheveled. Absently Ginny wondered if she wouldn't wake up to find that this was indeed all a dream. Except that it couldn't be. The pain that she ignored in her hips and legs from sitting in one position for too long made that clear at least.

"Kreacher does not know. He will find a way,"

"But Kreacher, Harry ordered you not to reveal our location to anyone," Hermione commented, "How are you going to get past that?"

"Kreacher will find a way to help his master," The elf said.

With that he looked one last time at Harry and Ginny on the bed, snapped his fingers, and disappeared.

"Do you reckon he'll be able to find a way to help him?" Ron asked fearfully.

"I don't know, I hope so," Hermione said.

Through the entire exchange, Ginny remained motionless on the bed, holding Harry. Every now and again she would tighten her grip or bury her face deeper into his shoulder.

She missed the look that Ron and Hermione exchanged between them. Whatever it was that was happening to Harry, whatever it was that held him prisoner away from his body, it was affecting Ginny too. It was tearing her apart.

"Ginny," Hermione said carefully, "Are you okay?"

She could only shake her head. This was the second time in as many months where Ginny felt like she could be losing Harry. When he'd gone running off to Hogwarts and nearly gotten himself killed had been scary enough. At least then she'd known what had happened and could see what it was that was hurting him. This was something completely different.

Together Ron and Hermione came and sat down on Ron's bed. It was here that Harry's three closest friends spent their morning as they began their vigil over their friend.

Through it all Ginny continued her mantra. Saying over and over again how much she loved Harry and how much she wanted him to return to her. Her grip never loosened, her thoughts never wavered. All Ginny wanted was for Harry to return to her. To the others it was starting to feel like vain hope.

_Harry's _mind felt like it was frozen in place. He kept looking and searching for some way to escape that black, frozen void he found himself in. If only he could retrace his way or find something, anything, that might lead him out.

Right now he felt like he was crammed into a small box with no way to tell where the lid was that kept him in place. That he was prisoner here against his will went without saying. The other thing that was working against him was that he was scared. Panicked. There was no way that he could see out of the situation he found himself in and that frightened him greatly.

What was it that he'd done? He had only wanted to try and see into Voldemort's mind and determine what was going on. Where the Horcruxes were that needed to be found and destroyed. Maybe even find a way to destroy him with the little knowledge that Harry possessed of magic.

Had he touched Voldemort's mind? Is that where he was? Was he locked away until Voldemort himself felt inclined to attend to him? That thought was something that scared Harry even more than the situation he was in.

What if that were true? Voldemort must know loads more about magic than he did. What a fool he'd been to think that he even had a chance to stand against him. He was bound to know magic that Harry could only dream about. Yet Dumbledore had said that it had to be Harry who destroyed him.

Dumbledore. Why couldn't he have spent some time actually teaching Harry about magic? He must have had volumes that he could have taught Harry just in one of their lessons; why did they all have to be about learning about Voldemort?

It wasn't that those lessons weren't useful, they were. But to Harry's mind wouldn't it have also been useful to teach him more about what kinds of magic to expect and maybe even what he could do to defend against it?

An anger towards Dumbledore such as he'd never known before surfaced in Harry's mind. It had been simmering somewhat since his death last year but now it felt like there was fuel enough for a raging fire.

Looking back now it was easy to see that Professor Dumbledore had hidden a lot from Harry. They both were from Godric's Hollow for one thing. That meant that he probably knew Harry's parents. Why hadn't he ever said anything about that?

Why did he have his Dad's Invisibility Cloak to give to him in his first year? What was the story behind that? Was there one? Why all the secrets? What was there that Dumbledore didn't want Harry to know? There must have been something, Harry thought. What on Earth could that be?

The rage built and continued to grow as these and other, similar thoughts entered Harry's mind. Anger at Dumbledore was only the first emotion Harry felt. That anger, with the aid of a small, cold tendril from somewhere he couldn't tell, started boiling up and over into a white hot rage.

It hurt Harry that the man he'd looked up to and admired for so long had only seen fit to string him along like a child's toy. Was that all he was to him? A tool to be used and discarded?

This idea, as foreign as it felt, held the uncomfortable feeling of truth, at least in part anyway. This realization in the cold black depths of whatever prison it was that held Harry captive only served to plunge Harry deeper into his confinement. Never, in all his life ever, had he felt so utterly alone.

Again Harry's mind reeled at his situation and his sense of panic increased. If he'd had arms and legs he'd have been flailing them about in some kind of effort to get away. All he wanted, the one thing that meant the most to him, was to get back to the house on Privet Drive. To be able to see those that he loved again.

Harry hadn't felt this bound since he'd been captured and taken to the graveyard in Little Hangleton to be made to help Voldemort rise again. Thinking on those he loved only seemed to magnify the feelings of helplessness and captivity.

Whatever it was that Harry had done to be stuck here where he was, the thought of never seeing Ron, Hermione, or Ginny again tore at his heart like nothing else.

The feelings Ginny evoked in Harry gave him a moment of pause in all the frantic panic and desperate searching for a way out. He loved her. There was no end to the depths of his feelings for her. The love he felt was absolute. It encompassed his entire being.

The other thing Harry's feelings of love and compassion had done was serve as an anchor in an ocean of panic. No longer was he looking and not seeing. A sudden, tiny little glimmer caught him out of the corner of his eye. A little golden light that had disappeared as soon as he'd seen it.

That was enough for Harry to hold on to. He started trying to calm himself down. If he still had possession of his lungs, he'd take a few deep breaths. Immediately he cast aside his anger towards Dumbledore and his predicament.

Had he imagined it? Had it been real? Or was his mind playing tricks on him?

Just as Harry started thinking maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, he saw it again. Only the flash of light wasn't from a central point. It was from a tiny, thin string or tendril. A tendril so small that if you didn't look at it just right, you lost it.

It took Harry several more tries to locate the tendril before he made his first discovery. It glowed brighter when his thoughts were turned towards those he loved the most; his friends. It glowed particularly bright when he thought of Ginny. What could be causing that, he wondered.

It was very difficult to keep his mind on Ginny when all he wanted to do was see the tendril again. It was the first sign that he wasn't completely alone in this void after all. As a result it was some time before Harry was able to see it again.

He tried to clear his mind and empty his thoughts. However as is often the case when one tries to clear their mind, other thoughts came flooding into it. This time it wasn't angry thoughts as it had been before with Dumbledore. Even there the anger that Harry had felt had been born out of his love for the man and Harry's feelings regarding his treatment by him.

That led Harry to reminisce about others whom he cared for. Or would have if they'd lived. Sirius was the first person to come to mind. He regretted the death of his godfather even more than he'd let on, though he suspected the others probably already knew that.

How would it have been to have lived with him? How great would have been the times they could have shared? Harry was sure Sirius would have let Ron and Hermione come visit. He was also sure that Sirius would have loved to have been there for Harry as he figured out everything with Ginny. He wondered what advice Sirius would have had. What suggestions he might have made. Those things were gone now and Sirius with it. It was a loss that Harry still keenly felt.

For that matter Harry was certain his parents would have been much the same way. From what little he knew of them, he knew that the life he would have had with them would have been far different from the life he'd had with the Dursley's. He could have had Ron stay with him from time to time instead of him always having to stay at the Burrow, not that Harry had minded that.

Would his mother had been friends with Mrs. Weasley? He was certain they would have been friends. He was also positive that Mr. Weasley would have loved talking to her, what with her growing up with muggles and all.

What about his Dad? Harry didn't know a lot about him but from what he'd heard, he was the kind of person that the entire Weasley family would have gotten along with, particularly Ron and his twin brothers.

The Weasley's; they were Harry's favorite family. He loved them all so much. Ginny and Ron mostly, and their parents too of course. But he also loved Fred and George, Bill and Charlie too from what little he know of him. Except for Percy, whom Harry had developed a rather strong dislike for, the Weasley's were the family Harry wished he had.

That brought his mind back to Ginny. Seeing her again, even just one time, Harry would give almost anything for that. Even just the chance to hear her voice…

"…back to me, Harry. I love you…"

What was that? In his excitement, Harry looked around wildly, desperately. He knew that voice! He would know it anywhere! That was Ginny! Just then Harry saw the tendril as it was fading out of sight. It was the brightest it had been yet. That was when Harry made his second discovery. The tendril wasn't just some random, golden glowing string. It had been connected to him! Directly to him, right at the heart!

This time it had been clear and bright and not only had he seen the tendril, he'd heard Ginny's voice! The sound of her voice acted like a magnet for his heart and his mind. Harry chest constricted at the memory of the sound of her voice and that last kiss they'd shared.

"…back to me Harry. Harry, you have to come back. How will I go on without…"

There it was again! He'd heard it and this time he'd seen the tendril form. It was clearly there. It was brighter than the sun and hurt his eyes from its intensity in the otherwise absolute blackness. That was the third surprise. This time it didn't disappear. It faded a little, but it didn't go away.

Ginny, Harry thought wildly, I'm coming back to you. I don't know how yet, but I will come back!

No sooner had he thought that then he heard her voice again. Just a tiny bit louder this time and with it the tendril glowed even brighter. Not only that but he could feel a pull.

"…Love you, Harry. You are my everything. I need you,"

With that pull Harry felt himself drawn to the sound of the voice he heard. It felt like he was flying again and as he flew he felt the frigid blackness of the void pull away. It felt almost as if the void was repelled by Ginny, her voice, and the love Harry had felt for the ones he'd thought of. A love for Ginny most of all.

This realization pulled him even faster. He was leaving that ice cold barren place where he'd been trapped so absolutely and was returning to those that he loved. There was no way that the void could hold him now…

"Hermione! Ron! Come quick! Something is happening!"

They had been holding their hopes out for three days that somehow, some way, Harry could pull through what it was that had trapped him in his own mind. Ginny had never once left his side.

The sounds of feet on the stairs could be heard, their steps louder being powered by the sheer desperation of the situation they had found themselves in.

Kreacher had returned with Dobby. The two elves had spoken to each other and to Harry's three closest friends at length trying to figure things out. They had tried various things to bring Harry out of his frozen state.

Both creatures were beside themselves at the state Harry was in. They had been unable to do anything to help him and both felt bound by his words refusing anyone other than them knowing that they were hiding at Harry's family's home. There was nothing more that they could do.

Legillimency was attempted and quickly abandoned by Hermione who could only see and hear nothing but darkness. Potions of revival hadn't worked, nor had any other spells.

While Ginny wouldn't leave Harry's side, Ron and Hermione had started talking about going to find someone they could bring to Privet Drive for help. The question was who? And what would happen if they were successful? Would they have to leave again? Where would they look? Could they go back to Grimmauld Place? That would be a start at least. This was until they'd heard Ginny's cry for their attention.

Ginny, who'd had a good idea as to what it was they were talking about because she'd heard the occasional word, just didn't care. Nothing mattered more to her than Harry. She couldn't think of anything else to do for him except to hold him and hope that by some miracle he'd hear her and come back to her. The thought of anything other than that happening she quickly and viciously banned from her heart and mind.

It had been a moment of disbelief when she first felt the change in Harry's heartbeat. It had started to quicken at first and then it became stronger. When it started approaching normal and the color returned to his cheeks was when Ginny had called out to the others.

The tears of loss and fear she'd cried three days before and occasionally since had been replaced by tears of fierce love and joy at Harry's sudden improvement. When she saw Ron and Hermione enter the room, she noticed them do a double take.

"Harry, NO!" Hermione said as she dropped to her knees in horror.

"Hermione, he's not dead!" Ginny had cried, "He's coming out of it!"

Just as she said this, Ron looked up at her; "She's right!" He exclaimed looking very shaken, "Look at him. He looks like he could just be sleeping now,"

"He didn't look like that before. This is wonderful!" Hermione cried.

Ron helped her to her feet and she didn't let go of his hand as they approached Ginny who was still grasping on to Harry now as if she were afraid to let go. Ginny buried her face in Harry's neck and whispered encouragement to him.

Together the three stood and watched for a long, long time until…

First his eyelids fluttered a bit and then, gloriously, they opened. Just as fast as they opened they closed again.

"The light," Harry's voice was the softest whisper but it got stronger as he added, "It hurts my eyes,"

Ron took his wand and waved it. The light in the room dimmed drastically. Then he opened his eyes again. This time it was to see Ginny's eyes looking lovingly back into them. The tears she had fell unashamedly onto his face and ran down his cheeks.

"Ginny," Harry whispered, his hand reaching up slowly, almost painfully to cup her cheek.

She broke down completely at his touch. He had looked like he was dying for too long, she had felt his heart struggling with every beat and now it was over. Leaning down now she did the only thing she could since any words she might have had failed her. She kissed him.

When Harry kissed Ginny it was like the final piece of a puzzle snapping into place. He was firmly back in his body and he had no desire to leave it again for however long it might be.

"Bloody Hell, Mate," Ron exclaimed gruffly.

Harry pulled away from Ginny momentarily to see his two best friends standing there staring at him. Both of them looked like they had seen better days. Their hair was a mess and they looked like they could have used a couple good meals.

"Sorry," Harry muttered.

He was going to add more but Ginny pulled him into her arms again. That was fine with him. The experience he'd just lived through was the most horrifying one he'd ever had. There was no way to really describe it except as very cold, very dark, and very, very alone. To be in the here and now with Ginny holding onto him as if her life depended on it was nothing short of glorious.

His chest ached as he filled his lungs with air over and over. His eyes still were a little sore from the sudden light. Even his ears seemed to be a little sensitive to sound. Then something clicked in the back of his mind.

When Ginny pulled away again, Harry asked her; "How long was I gone?"

"Three days," Hermione answered him.

Her voice sounded funny. But that was nothing compared to what she'd said.

"Three _days_?" Harry repeated.

Ron's solemn nod was more confirmation than any word could have been. Harry looked down and noticed the iron grip that Hermione had on Ron's hand. No wonder why they looked the way they did. They probably had no clue as to what happened any more than I do, Harry thought.

"What happened, Harry? Do you know?" Hermione asked him.

This was one question Harry was hoping to put off. He remembered well enough what it was he was trying to do. He'd wanted to try and see into Voldemort's mind since it had been so long since it had happened last time.

Hermione however had made her thoughts on what happened when Harry was able to see into Voldemort's mind quite clear. He knew very well that hearing that Harry had gone deliberately looking to establish a connection was not going to sit very well with her. What's more, if he was out for three days, he didn't think it was going to sit well with the others either. That was a row he'd like to avoid just now. Thankfully it was Ginny who came to his rescue.

"Do you mind?" She asked, "He's only just woke up! Are you hungry Harry?"

Before he could do more than smile up at her, his stomach answered her question loudly and clearly. Yes, he was hungry. Though he doubted he would be able to eat much knowing what was coming when Hermione found out exactly what had happened to render Harry next to dead for three solid days.

"What do you think you can eat, Harry?" Ginny asked as she softly ran her fingers through his hair.

Looking up at her he noticed her eyes. While they were still wet, it was the expression in them that had his attention. It was a mixture of love, disbelief, and something else. Something he couldn't quite explain. He was losing himself looking into her eyes and trying to put a description to what he saw there when Ron cleared his throat.

"Harry?"

"Oh! Err, sorry. Is soup okay?" Harry asked halfheartedly.

Ron grumbled under his breath but it was Hermione who answered; "Soup would be fine. Why don't we all go downstairs and have some? I'm sure Kreacher will be happy to…"

"Master?" The croak came from the door.

Looking over Harry saw his house elf looking back at him strangely. Like he'd just returned from the dead, which is exactly what Harry felt like he'd done. Harry smiled at the grizzled, old elf feeling genuinely happy to see him.

Strange, Harry thought, just a couple weeks ago I wouldn't have cared if I'd ever seen Kreacher again. Now I'm actually happy to see him. What's more, he looks just as happy to see me.

"Hello, Kreacher," Harry acknowledged the elf.

"Master is awake?" The elf took a tentative step into the room, his arm half reaching out for Harry.

"Yes, I'm awake if you want to call it that,"

"Master! Kreacher is sorry that he was not able to help you…"

Sensing some kind of elf-like outburst coming on, Harry tried to head him off.

"I'm sure you did what you could," Harry answered him.

"Kreacher tried. Kreacher asked Master's friend Dobby to help but we could not help Harry Potter. We failed to help him…"

"I don't think there's anything you could have done to help me, Kreacher," Harry said quietly.

Upon hearing that, he saw Hermione's head tilt to one side. The relieved, happy expression she had worn was now also had a tinge of confused curiosity as well. Seeing that, Harry knew that it was only a matter of time before she asked him about it. Then Kreacher burst into tears as he ran out of the room.

"Great," Harry said under his breath, as he turned his eyes back to his friends.

"So are we going to go downstairs or what?" Ron asked, "I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry, Ron," Ginny replied with a smile.

Nothing could ruin her mood right now. Her Harry had come back to her. He was there in her arms and as far as she was concerned it would be a very long time before he moved away from them. Except to eat of course.

Ginny loosened her grip on Harry and allowed him to sit up. He made it as far as his feet before he started swaying on his feet.

"Whoops," Harry said sheepishly.

"Harry," Hermione chastised him patiently, "You've been on your back for three days. You need to take it slowly,"

"Right, take it slowly," Harry said as he shook his head.

He spent the next couple minutes doing nothing but sitting quietly and enjoying the sensation of Ginny's arms around his waist and her head on his back. Then it came time to try again.

Carefully, gingerly, he stood up. Again he took a moment to get his bearings before taking first one step and then another. By the time he reached the hall, he was walking normally again, if a tiny but slower.

The stairs were another easily surmountable challenge. He hesitated on the first two and then was descending normally by the time he hit the bottom. In the short hallway between the kitchen and the living room, Harry stood and looked around. He could smell the aroma of the soup Kreacher was making in the kitchen and heard his stomach as it growled loudly.

Knowing that food was coming soon, Harry turned into the living room and sat down. He was immediately joined by Ginny on the couch and followed by Ron and Hermione.

Looking at his friends one thing was clear, Ginny was happy that he was up and walking around with them again. Ron and Hermione were too but their faces held more concern than Ginny's did. Knowing full well that he could be starting a major row with his friends, Harry asked; "What is it?"

Ron started shifting around and looking uncomfortable. Hermione just continued to watch Harry and seemed content to observe him for now.

"Well, erm…w-what happened?" Ron asked quietly.

"Good Godric, Ron!" Ginny snapped, "Harry's only been up a little while and you want to know what happened?"

"Yeah, I guess I do,"

"Don't you think he's been through enough?" Ginny asked.

"It's alright, Ginny," Harry said quietly.

In truth he'd been waiting for this. He knew that sooner or later the subject was going to come up. Better to have it be now and get it over with.

"I'm…not sure what happened…exactly," Harry began uncertainly.

He knew by the frank, open looks on the faces of his friends that he had their attention.

"What's the last thing that you remember?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked at Ron and knew that his friend would not appreciate going over that discussion, so he edited a little bit.

"I was thinking really," Harry said as he formed his thoughts, "We had been talking about going to investigate where the Burrow was to see if it would be safe to meet someone there. You and Ginny got mad and went up to bed. Ron and I went to bed not long after that…"

"And?" Hermione asked.

Harry was looking at Ron. Sure enough the fearful expression on Ron's face was all it took to confirm what he'd suspected. Ron remembered that conversation he and Harry'd had about Ron kissing Hermione.

"Well, that got me to thinking…"

"What about?" Ginny asked from behind him.

"About…well…why haven't I seen inside Voldemort's mind again? It's been a long time and I had thought sure that things would have happened after he discovered what was happening to his Horcruxes…"

He paused at the expression on Hermione's face. He could see that she was starting to put things together. So he laid it out as carefully as he could. He went through the thoughts he'd had about Voldemort and how it would be nice if he could just see into his mind and know what he was thinking.

Harry described that as he fell asleep, he was thinking about what it would be like to see his thoughts and not have to suffer the pain from the connection or risk Voldemort finding out about it.

Then he went on to talk about how this was the last remaining thoughts in his mind as he went to sleep. Except that Harry never slept. That was when he was imprisoned in that…place.

"What was it like? You know, where you were?" Ron asked.

Harry described everything he could remember about how cold and dark and alone it was. He didn't hold back when he talked about how scared he'd been or all of the things he'd worried about.

The last thing that Harry told of was how he'd found his way out. Of discovering the tendril of gold that he'd found that led from his heart and that he'd been able to follow out.

Turning to Ginny now for the last of it, Harry went on to say; "…and I could hear you. You know, hear your voice. It was like you were calling to me. I couldn't believe it. I'd been so scared that I was never going to see you again, and there you were helping me to come home,"

The look in Ginny's eyes was like nothing he'd ever seen before. There was a depth of feeling there that went well beyond anything Harry had yet experienced. He recognized it because it was something he'd felt for her himself. Love was only the word that described his feelings for Ginny. The emotion and definition he put to that word was far and away more than anything that could ever be described by a simple word.

It was like being told to look up into the night sky on a clear night. He could look up and see the stars, but that was little in comparison with all that vision entailed. Such were his feelings for Ginny, and one could quite easily see, her feelings for him.

Much later that afternoon, after the meal had been consumed and Kreacher was busy upstairs changing the sheets on the beds, Hermione cornered Harry.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" She asked.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Hermione," Harry replied.

He and Hermione had been sitting at the kitchen table talking a little bit back and forth. Harry knew that she had been working up to this all day. He was thankful that Ron was dozing on the couch and Ginny was upstairs having a bath. The way Hermione had been watching him since they'd talked in the living room told Harry that sooner or later she'd be having some words with him. It looked like it was going to be sooner.

"Don't give me that, Harry! You know very well what I mean. You tried to go and find a way to see into V-Voldemort's mind, didn't you?"

The sound of thunder from outside seemed to underline Hermione's statement. Feeling guilty now, Harry looked at his friend and replied; "It's not like that exactly…"

"Then what was it like?"

"We need to find those Horcruxes,"

"And?" Hermione's voice was becoming shrill and Harry knew that she was getting upset, "You're not telling me anything that I don't already know,"

"W-wouldn't it be easier to destroy them if we knew where they were? That's all I was looking for, was to find out where the Horcruxes were so that we could find them and destroy them,"

"Harry, you know how much it hurts you when that connection is established! I can't believe you'd deliberately go and try to connect to him on purpose. What were you thinking?"

"I told you, I was trying to…"

"…And what's more," Hermione interrupted him, "You know that Professor Dumbledore wanted you to learn Occlumency to try and block out those visions!"

Harry made a face at the mention of Dumbledore's name which Hermione was quick to see. He still had so many feelings towards the man and he wasn't quite sure about them all.

"He only wanted what was best for you, Harry," Hermione said in a softer tone.

"Did he? If that's so, then…"

"Then what?"

Her eyes were no longer angry and hard. She was looking at him now in genuine concern. However for all of that, Harry found it difficult to describe what he was thinking.

Those thoughts that had come to him so easily when he was trapped in that void, the anger, fury, and even disgust now felt foreign. Like the emotions had belonged to someone else, but were Harry's to feel for that time that he felt them.

"What is it, Harry?"

There was no anger left on her face. Only the love she had for him and concern for his wellbeing. Harry knew that he could trust Hermione with this, he had no qualms about that. His only question was did he really want to bring this up again just now? He decided that it couldn't hurt.

"How come he never told me anything?" Harry asked quietly, his eyes searching for understanding.

"What do you mean?"

"I heard, back at the wedding, Ron's aunt talking about how he was from Godric's Hollow. How come he never mentioned that? He must've known my parents too but he never said anything about them to me? Why not? Didn't he think that I'd want to know?"

The room was quiet for a long time while Harry mulled over his thoughts and feelings on the matter and Hermione thought over the things he'd said.

"I think," She began hesitantly, "That whatever his reasons were for not confiding any of this to you, they must have been important. At least to him,"

Harry snorted at hearing this, "I'm sure they were. I'm sure he had loads of important reasons for the things he did or didn't do,"

"He loved you, Harry," Hermione remarked.

"Did he? Did he really?" Harry asked.

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she thought it was true but he wasn't so sure himself.

"Harry, you didn't see him. You didn't see him and how he looked when you fell off your broom when the Dementors attacked you. You didn't see him and the worry on his face after the Tri-Wizard tournament when you came back and Cedric was… You didn't see him or hear his voice when he spoke to the school after that happened either. You yourself said that he made it clear to your Aunt and Uncle that he wasn't happy with the way they treated you over the years. So yes, Harry. I think he really did love you and I think he really did only want what was best for you. I know that you may not believe that right now, but I have to believe that it's true,"

The two friends were looking earnestly at each other now in the silence after Hermione had finished speaking. It was one of those comfortable, quiet moments that only two friends can share. He knew that Hermione was right of course. It was just hard to believe, especially after the thoughts he'd had while trapped in that void.

When Harry spoke again next, it was about a completely different subject.

"So, do you think we should still try and see if the Burrow is safe? Maybe set up a meeting with someone and get a feel for what it's really like out there?"

Far away from where Harry sat talking to Hermione in the kitchen of Privet Drive, there was another conversation that was taking place. One of a far different nature.

The house was large, ornate, and dark. From the outside, as lush and well-kept as the gardens were, the place still looked forbidding. White peacocks strutted around the grounds and atop the hedges and walls. The constant rain and mist did nothing to lend the manor home any kind of welcoming appearance.

If Harry Potter had seen the place, he would have recognized it as the place where he'd come to in his dreams. Right before he was trapped inside a cold, dark, and lonely void.

It was Malfoy Manor. It was here that Lucius Malfoy had raised his son, Draco. It was also here that Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters called home.

Inside the home, in the very room that Harry had been about to access before he was claimed by the void, there were three people standing there waiting to be called upon to speak by none other than Lord Voldemort himself.

Currently the Dark Lord was listening to one of the three giving a report on the state of Wizarding Britain. It was only with half a mind that Lord Voldemort was listening to his Death Eater, a man called Yaxley. The other half was preoccupied with other, more important and vastly more private affairs.

"We have the run of the Ministry, my Lord. Our efforts to locate and confine the mudbloods are meeting with some success. Our snatchers have located many of them including some friends of Potter's from the school,"

Hearing this earned Yaxley a direct, interested look of appraisal from Voldemort.

"Who is it?"

"A young Gryffindor by the name of Thomas," Yaxley replied.

Severus Snape looked up at the mention of the name, "Dean Thomas?"

"You know him, Severus?" Voldemort asked.

"He is in Potter's year at school," Severus replied, "They are friends. It was also rumored that he was dating Miss Weasley just prior to her affections for Potter being made apparent,"

"Indeed? That could be useful when the time comes. Where is he now?"

"We have him in the basement with a goblin we've captured and the wand maker,"

"You've done well, Yaxley. You may return to your duties," Voldemort said calmly.

The Death Eater bowed and left the room. There were now two others standing there with Voldemort; Severus and Bellatrix. Turning now to look out the window and ponder over this latest turn of events, Voldemort asked; "What of the Order?"

He heard Bellatrix's intake of breath. She seemed uncertain of what she was about to tell him. He smiled inwardly knowing that she craved his praise more than anything else. If he liked what he heard, then she would have what she wanted.

"The Order has gone to ground. We've not seen nor heard from them for some time…"

"But?" Voldemort asked.

"My Lord?"

"I've heard tell that there is a new program on the Wireless Wizarding Network, something called Potterwatch?"

He waited now for her reaction. He was well aware that she too knew of this program.

"W-we don't know where they're broadcasting from. The location changes between broadcasts and we haven't been able to find them,"

"It would stand to reason, would it not, that at least someone from the Order of the Phoenix is involved in this program? Maybe more than one?"

"I-it would, yes My Lord," Bellatrix replied, "We will find them!"

"Your reward will be great indeed when you do," Voldemort replied.

"M-my Lord is generous!" Bellatrix said, her eyes filled with joy.

"See to it that my generosity is not misplaced,"

"No My Lord. Never!"

Voldemort stood and stared out the window as he marshalled his thoughts. He knew full well that Bellatrix wanted to take her leave and was uncomfortable with not being allowed yet to do so. This was good. It would underline the importance of the next topic he wished to discus.

"And the item I requested from your family vault?" He asked quietly.

"Retrieved my lord, and currently in your chambers," Bellatrix answered immediately.

"And it took so long to remove…why?"

"I-I…I… What I mean to say My Lord,"

"You wondered why I chose to remove that item. Why I no longer wanted to entrust it to the safekeeping inside your family's vault? You wanted to know what its significance is, is that it?"

The eyes of the Death Eater found the floor and she said quietly, "Yes, My Lord,"

"You may rest assured, Bellatrix, that if it were important for you to know, then I would tell you,"

"Y-yes, My Lord," She replied.

He took a moment to let that statement sink in and could feel the fear emanating off of her in waves. Good, Voldemort thought, she should be scared.

"When next I set you a task, see to it that it does not take so long to complete. We will forgo the punishment this time,"

"My Lord is merciful!" Bellatrix breathed.

"You have your next task?"

"Locating the blood traitor family that sees fit to befriend Potter; The Weasley's. I will find them My Lord,"

"Then you may leave, Bellatrix,"

"At once, My Lord!" Bellatrix backpedaled out of the room and shut the blackened mahogany door behind her.

Voldemort remained where he stood, staring out of the window at the continuing rain in the gloom outside. A Dementor could be seen just through the mist, gliding silently by.

"I will need access to the school," He said finally.

"Of course, My Lord," Severus answered.

"You will see to it that the halls are empty. I do not wish for anyone, staff or student, to know of my presence there,"

"It will be as you wish, My Lord,"

"I will come tonight, late. We will speak after I have done what I need to do,"

"Yes, My Lord. I shall be awaiting your arrival," Snape answered easily.

"And the school? How are things there?" Voldemort asked after a moment.

"The students have learned to accept the changes we have put into place. Those that were reluctant have met with the disciplinarians who have seen fit to educate them as to the error of their ways,"

"And those who support Potter?"

"There are some we know who support him. As of yet we have not been able to find out who they are. There are some who we believe are in hiding at the school, but again, we've not been able to locate them. However they will pose no problem to you when you visit the school,"

"I have your word on this, Severus?" Voldemort asked.

In fact, he had no concern on this point. Any student who crossed his path when he visited the school this night would learn the folly of that mistake and find it a most grievous error.

"You do indeed, My Lord. I will see to it personally,"

"You have done well, Severus. You may return to the school,"

"As you wish, My Lord,"

With a short bow and a quiet step, Severus Snape left the room and Voldemort alone with his thoughts.

Thoughts that returned at once to where they had been before this meeting in Malfoy Manor took place. The Horcruxes were one matter, one soon to be dealt with. He had found what he had expected to find, the ring of Marvolo Gaunt was missing. It had been Severus who had told him that Dumbledore had taken to wearing a ring that matched the description of the one belonging to Gaunt shortly before his death.

It was therefore no surprise to find the ring gone. Just as the diary was gone. Just as the locket too was gone. That left the diadem, the cup, and Nagini. Since the Horcruxes that were still in existence were the ones that were closest to a large group of people, it stood to reason that, for now at least, they should be kept within the school.

While he had no trust for anyone in that school, he alone knew its halls better than anyone alive. He alone knew of places within the school that one could hide something they didn't want found. It was here that he would take the cup. The diadem was there already and he could check on it while he was there.

Now satisfied that the Horcruxes would again be safe, Voldemort turned his mind to another matter. One that had aroused his attention and one that he had yet to share with anyone else.

He had felt it when someone had tried to penetrate the magical wards set to guard the room from intrusion. The wards had been set by him alone; trusting no one else with a task so important. Except that it wasn't just the wards that were triggered.

There was no way to completely understand it as much as he'd tried.

When the curious, eager young mind had touched upon the barrier of the door, it had triggered the magic that bound the mind until he could release it to examine it and ascertain why it was there.

Imagine his surprise when the mind he had begun to examine seemed to be that of young Potter himself! Apparently the connection that he had thought dormant and locked was not so unusable after all. Potter seemed to have found a way to open it again.

Because of the magic that bound the room and kept prying spells and charms from entering in, he'd been able to use his skill at Legillimency to look into Potter's mind and to know and even to a degree guide his thoughts while his mind was held captive.

Voldemort smiled at the easy way he'd directed young Potter's mind to find anger towards Dumbledore. The very man he'd held so dear, Potter had seemed so ready to turn against him. He was just deciding how he wanted to go about that task when another emotion came. One that caused him to back away by reflex and thus break his hold on the mind of Potter. The emotion was love.

He had watched, angry and powerless as Harry's thoughts turned towards those he loved and cared for. He'd seen it when Potter found the one thing that could guide his mind back to his body; his love for another. He had been powerless to stop it as the golden line of love, hope, and joy had served as an anchor and guided him back.

His attempts to stop it were thwarted easily and effortlessly. He would not be resisted so easily again. He would see to it.


End file.
